20 Yuuri x Wolfram Themes
by Chaoslace
Summary: 20 love stories based on the themes listed on the Japanese Yuuri x Wolfram fan union site. Mostly ficlets, with some short drabbles and full length fics as well. Spoilers up to the high 30's.
1. Marriage Proposal

A/N: These 20 themes were taken from the Japanese Yuuri/Wolfram fan union. Feel free to give them a try on your own if you like. Also, I posted these on the KKM LiveJournal community as I wrote them, and I want to give a big, big thank you to all the people there who gave me their comments and critiques. You guys are awesome. 

**1. Marriage Proposal**

"Papa? Are you going into town? Will you bring me a present?"

Wolfram turned, startled by the young girl's voice behind him. When his eyes settled on Greta's smiling face he chuckled and bent down to give her a quick hug. He noted with some interest that she wasn't quite as small as she used to be. She was going to be thirteen soon, and somehow she had sprouted up nearly two inches since her last birthday. _Humans age so quickly_, he thought with wonder. _Especially a human daughter._ For just a moment, he allowed himself a wistful smile.

"Ah, sure I'll bring you something, Greta. You know how I dote on you," he chuckled, ruffling her brown curls. "What would you like? A new book? A dress?"

Greta turned her head and furrowed her brow thoughtfully. "Well... I don't really need anything, but... how about a barrette for my hair?" She looked up and gave him a bright smile. "Since it's getting longer!"

Wolfram nodded enthusiastically. "That's a good idea! Actually, I was going to stop at the jewelry shop anyway, so it's also convenient."

"Really?" Her eyes twinkled. "Are you getting something for your hair too, Papa?"

"For my - hey!" Wolfram twisted his face into a mock scowl and scooped Greta up into his arms, tickling her mercilessly. She squealed and dissolved into laughter, kicking and flailing with her still-a-bit-too-short legs. "Oof," he moaned, struggling to hold her off the floor. "What have you been eating, child? Granite?"

"Hardly!" Greta snorted, finally freeing herself from his long arms and landing on her feet. She crossed her arms and stuck her nose in the air haughtily. "It's like you always say, I'm a lady. If I was gonna eat rocks, it would be _marble_."

At that, Wolfram pushed up one of his sleeves and gave her a menacing look, sending her running from the room in a fit of giggles. He watched her go and sighed, chuckling to himself. _Only thirteen and already talking back_, he thought with amusement. _I guess some of me is rubbing off on her after all. For a while I thought she'd turn out to be a wimp like Yuuri._

He shook his head at that, lost in thought as he finished preparing for the day trip. He shrugged into a pale blue jacket and secured his scabbard at his side. His clothes were casual - no need to attract undue attention to himself. He also doubted very much that his sword would be necessary, but that was just habit. He felt naked without its familiar weight on his hip.

The weather was cool and crisp when the noble strode out to the front gate. It was only early autumn, so the sun still felt hot on his skin even though a cool breeze ruffled his hair. He stretched his arms out and took a deep breath, briefly mourning the passage of summer before welcoming the milder season. He then placed two fingers between his teeth and whistled for his white horse. It came instantly and Wolfram patted its neck affectionately before mounting it in one swift, well-practiced motion.

He waved at the gate guards on his way out, smiling to himself at their confused reaction to his unusual sociability. He was in a better mood than usual, he had to admit. But it was because he had a good feeling about that day. Even though by all rights he should have been quaking with nervous anxiety, he felt calm and assured in a way that surprised even himself.

_Have I changed that much?_ he wondered, looking up at the bright, cloudless sky as he rode. _Or am I just getting older? Greta has grown so much..._

Now, that thought was just ridiculous. He had hundreds of years to go before he had to start worrying about old age. "And they say having children makes you feel young," he said incredulously, to no one in particular. Only a passing traveler heard him, and she just nodded knowingly, chuckling softly to herself.

He rode at a leisurely pace, so it took him about a hour to actually get to the town proper. Everyone there recognized him, even in casual dress, but thankfully most people knew not to bother him too much. Being known as a skilled swordsman and majutsu user had its advantages when one was a headstrong noble who liked to travel alone. Well, alone or with a rather wimpy trouble-magnet, either way.

The jewelry shop was a somewhat seedy affair located in the artisan's district. Wolfram had been there before, so when he pushed aside the beaded curtain that hung over the entryway, he was greeted immediately by the shopkeeper.

"Your Excellence!" the man purred, knowing the scent of money and smelling it all over this customer. "I'm so glad you have returned to my humble -"

"Save it," Wolfram said in a bored tone. "Were you able to find what I asked for?"

"Ah, the stone? But of course, milord. If it has a price, I can find it," he boasted, bending down to retrieve a small brown box from a locked case. He straightened and set the box on the counter in front of Wolfram. "Of course, this one came at quite a price. Open it," he urged.

Wolfram caught his breath in anticipation as his long fingers caressed the smooth lacquered surface of the box. He found the catch and pressed it lightly, causing the lid to pop open and reveal a plush purple velvet lining. On the lining was a simple loop of white gold topped by a flawless crystal gem. Inside the gem, tiny flecks of gold and silver glittered until the stone seemed to glow with a light of its own.

"A sunstone," he breathed. "It's perfect..."

"It wasn't easy to find," the shopkeeper murmured conspiratorially. "Glows night or day, no matter what. I had to call in a lot of favors, so..." He trailed off and eyed the fair-haired noble.

"You'll be well paid," Wolfram assured him, snapping the box closed. "Of course, even I don't dare to carry that much money on me." He produced a small token with his family crest and name etched on it. "Send for it at the castle. Use that token to redeem your price."

The shopkeeper accepted the token with open, greedy hands. "Why thank you, Your Excellence. That will do nicely," he fawned, before putting it carefully into his purse. "Can I help you with anything else today?"

Wolfram snapped his fingers. "Ah! I almost forgot! Do you have anything like a barrette for girls?"

"Oh, I have several pieces that I think would suit milord quite nicely..."

Even passers-by on the street outside could hear Wolfram shriek, "It's not for me, you imbecile! ...Geez, maybe I should cut my hair or something..."

* * *

It wasn't until later, when Wolfram was riding back to the castle with his new treasures, that he began to feel nervous. 

_This is a ridiculous idea,_ he scorned himself, his knuckles whitening from his grip on the reins. _He won't accept it. And then Greta will hear about it and she'll be disappointed too... and the others..._ He sighed and tried to force the thought from his mind. He knew that a defeatist attitude would get him nowhere. That was what had driven him to go to the village and spend an inordinate amount of money on a piece of jewelry. Wolfram von Bielefeld, who was always so rash and quick to action, had waited patiently for quite some time. Maybe now it was time to stick with what he knew.

He looked down, the small box weighing heavily against his leg, and wondered if it wasn't too soon. Naturally, certain things should not be rushed, but it is really rushing things if you're certain? And he was certain... wasn't he?

He didn't have to think about that for more than a moment. He'd known for a long time. Almost as long as he'd known Yuuri. Accidental or not, their engagement was the best thing that ever happened to him. He squared his jaw and tried to wash the pensive expression from his face. _The wimp is wearing off on you,_ he chided silently. _Come on Wolfram, be strong for this._

Show him what you're made of.

* * *

Yuuri had returned from Earth rather unceremoniously that morning, so he was in the bath rinsing seaweed out of his hair when Wolfram rode through the castle gates. "Has King Yuuri arrived yet?" he inquired of one of the guards, who confirmed that he had, but was not to be disturbed in his bath. 

Wolfram smirked. "And who gave you that order?"

The soldier blinked as though it were a ridiculous question. "Why, Sir Günter of course."

"Oh, of course." He sighed and handed the reins to the stable boy, who blushed furiously when his hand brushed against the young noble's. Wolfram noticed it with mild surprise. _Is he that age already?_

Well, if Yuuri wasn't to be disturbed (and he would let Günter get away with it this time), then that gave him some time to change and clean up. He made his way into the castle, stopping to deliver Greta's barrette to her. The child was in her room, poring over some homework thatGünter had put aside for her. She was progressing well in her studies, and Günter was admittedly a good teacher. Wolfram marveled that she never once complained about his lessons.

"Surprise," Wolfram said lightly, sneaking up behind her and covering her eyes with both hands. "Guess who?"

"Daddy!" she squealed in delight.

"Ah... which Daddy do you mean?" he asked with an embarrassed grin. "Me or Yuu- aah, curses."

Greta cackled mischievously. "Welcome home, Papa," she said, turning to plant a wet kiss on his cheek. "How was town? Did you bring me a present?"

"You're so mercenary," he chuckled, holding out the small package to her. "Here you go."

The little girl dropped out of her chair and carried the box over to the mirror, quickly stripping off the wrappings. "Ah," she breathed, holding a small silver butterfly in both hands. "It's beautiful..."

Wolfram beamed. "I'm glad you like it. Here," he knelt beside her and took a brush off the table. "Let's see if we can put some order in these locks." He brushed the tangles out of her hair and set it into a loose braid before clipping it back with the butterfly. "There," he said. "It suits you."

Greta admired herself in the mirror. "You're pretty good with hair," she said.

"Ah, well..." Wolfram smiled awkwardly. "My mother used to make me do her hair all the time, so..."

"Lady Cecilie? Oh, her hair is so beautiful! I hope mine is that pretty someday."

"Well, I'm sure it will be," Wolfram said warmly, kissing her on the forehead. "You're a beautiful girl. And smart too. So smart that you're going to go finish your homework now, before GŸnter finds out I was distracting you."

The young girl beamed. "Thank you, Papa." She settled into her chair again, picking up the book she was reading. Wolfram was almost out of the door when she turned around again. "I heard my other daddy was back," she said conspiratorially.

Wolfram turned. "He is. He's in the bath right now, but I'm sure he'll come see you as soon as he's dressed," he said.

She smiled and shook her head from side to side. "I'll come see him later. It's an important day, right? If he wants to see me, tell him I am..." her face screwed up as she tried to remember the proper words. "...otherwise occupied. Is that right?"

Wolfram looked back at her with an expression of surprise. "Greta," he said carefully. "What do you know...?"

"Well, actually, I was just reading this book on Earth customs that Conrad brought me..."

His eyes widened as she held up the familiar cover. At his brother's suggestion, Wolfram had read the same book himself not a week he cursed silently. You two-timing...

"You bought jewelry for Yuuri, didn't you?" Greta's eyes twinkled with mischief. "Of course I figured it out! And I thought you said I was smart," she humphed, setting her face in a mock pout.

Wolfram's mouth opened and closed wordlessly for a moment before he crossed his arms and shook his head slowly. "You are," he said in a slightly annoyed tone. "Too smart for your own good sometimes, young lady."

She giggled. "It's okay. I just wanted to say good luck."

The young noble blinked, then a loving smile softened his face. "Thanks, Greta. I appreciate it."

They nodded to each other in silent understanding, and he turned and stepped out into the hall. For a moment he rested with his back to her door, and he knew that Yuuri was probably finishing up his bath by now. He closed his eyes, listening to the sound of his heartbeat slow and steady in his chest. After a few deep breaths, he stood and squared his shoulders. For better or worse, he was ready.

* * *

When he arrived back in their quarters, Wolfram found that there was yet no trace of Yuuri. He changed swiftly, shedding his dusty riding clothes for something with a bit more class. He mused over his wardrobe before finally settling on a gilded purple tunic and a pair of white linen pants. He was sitting on the bed and lacing up his boots when the door opened. He raised his eyes to see his fiancé's familiar face. 

"Welcome home," he said warmly.

Yuuri smiled. "Hey, Wolfram." The noble stood and they embraced briefly. "Let me just put some real clothes on," he called over his shoulder, already shedding his robe as he approached the wardrobe. Wolfram glued his eyes to the floor and listened to Yuuri rummage through his clothes. "Geez," the young king sighed. "I never thought I'd be wearing this uniform for the rest of my life... maybe I can at least get it altered or something." There was a pause. "Uh, Wolf, you can look up now."

Wolfram blushed and his eyes glanced up to meet Yuuri's. "Ah, I was just..."

"No, it's okay." The boy waved one hand jovially. "I don't care. I don't have anything to hide." He eyed Wolfram suspiciously. "You sure look nice today, though. What's the occasion?"

Wolfram dropped one hand to his side, where he fingered the box nervously through the fabric of his tunic. "Actually, Yuuri... would you do me a favor?" he asked. His voice sounded strangely hollow and thin in his ears. There was that nervousness again. "Can you close the curtains?"

"Close the curtains? Well, alright..." Yuuri tilted his head curiously, but complied, tugging on a fringed tassel to bring two heavy curtains down over the window. Darkness fell over the room, which was now only illuminated by a single line of sunlight that forced its way in between the curtains. Wolfram made his way over to Yuuri and took him by the hand.

"Hey, what -" the king objected mutely, but he was stilled the intense look on Wolfram's face and did not resist. He allowed himself to be guided to stand by the window, where Wolfram stopped and turned to face him.

"Yuuri," he murmured, his eyes never leaving the other boy's face. "There's something I want to ask you."

Yuuri just looked back at him. "What is it?"

Wolfram looked down briefly, his eyes narrowing. "Do you love me?"

He thought he could hear his heart thudding in the dark emptiness between them as he waited for a reply. "Do I..." Yuuri finally said, his voice soft. "That's a complicated question, Wolfram."

"So give me a complicated answer," the fairer boy pleaded. "Please."

"Wolfram..." he started, then stopped himself and furrowed his brow in thought. "You're... loyal and brave... you're also stubborn and jealous. You follow me everywhere, but I don't want to be separated from you. You've saved my life many times, and I... well, if you needed it I'd look out for you too..." He sighed, he shoulders rising and falling in the dim light. "Do I love you? Yes. I suppose I do. But I love the others too, Wolfram. I love Greta and Conrad andGünter and Anissina and Yozak and even Gwendel. I love Murata and my family... and I can't just..."

"Ssh," Wolfram said, stepping forward to close the space between them. "I'm not asking you to give that up, Yuuri." The darker boy's head snapped up, his ebony eyes narrowing.

"But you..." he started to say.

Wolfram just shook his head and placed his hands on Yuuri's shoulders. "No one understands love better than you do, Yuuri. Do you really think I could live with you for three years and not learn a few things about it myself?"

A light flush touched Yuuri's cheeks. "Was that a compliment?" he asked, a small smile touching his lips.

Wolfram smiled warmly. "I think so. You know that I love you, right?"

Yuuri just swallowed and nodded.

"And that I'm dedicated to you, forever?"

Another nod.

"And you're dedicated to me too, right?"

"Wolfram, what are you..."

"Yuuri," Wolfram said, dropping to one knee. Yuuri just stared down at him, his mouth hanging agape. He produced the small box from his pocket and held it up, releasing the latch with one gentle touch.

When the box snapped open, the dark room flooded with light. The sunstone shone radiantly, and Wolfram heard Yuuri murmur in awe. "Wolfram," he finally said, reaching out with one hand but afraid to touch the stone. "What... is this?"

"It's a sunstone. It will always glow, no matter where you are. Something Murata said once... that you are the sun that lights up everyone's lives... it stuck with me." Wolfram reached in and picked up the ring, sending beams of light skittering around the room. "If you wear this, I can always find you, even on the darkest of nights." Yuuri just gazed down, thousands of tiny stars glittering in his eyes. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I want you to be a part of my family, forever. Yuuri," he paused, looking up with an expression of unbridled love and devotion. "Will you marry me?"

It was a long time before Yuuri could say anything at all. "Wolfram," he finally said, his voice thick and husky, as though he were speaking around tears. "Aren't we already engaged?"

Wolfram smiled. "This is different," he said softly. "I'm asking you to marry me. Not just get engaged, not just live in the same room together. I want... well, you, Yuuri... if you're ready..."

The young king's eyes filled with tears as he reached down to brush the surface of the gemstone. "It's... perfect..."

"I know," Wolfram said softly. He stood then, taking Yuuri by the hand and slipping the ring over his finger. When it was on, their fingers entwined and they just gazed back at each other, knowing now that nothing would ever be the same again.

In the very best of ways.


	2. Fire and Water

**2. Water and Fire**

"I hated you so much for that." 

Yuuri opened one eye, squinting in the bright sunlight. "I told you it wasn't my fault," he pouted. "You know I'm a pacifist."

"Is that your word for 'wimp'?"

"Don't call me a wimp!"

Wolfram smirked and leaned back against a tree trunk, looking up at the cloudless sky. He held up one graceful hand to shade his face from the sun. "Can you blame me? You came into my home -"

"Gwendel's home -"

"My family's home, and my half-breed brother was already slobbering all over you like a cat -"

"You mean a dog."

"Would you just stop interrupting?" A tiny wrinkle appeared between the fair boy's eyes. "And when I tried to defend my honor, you cheated me with your ridiculous tactics, and used the power of the Maou to scold me like a little kid."

"In my defense, you were acting like kind of a brat."

"My uniform was ruined."

"Good thing you have at least six more exactly like it."

"Not to mention my reputation."

Yuuri looked up mischievously. "Is it really so shameful to be engaged to the king?"

Wolfram sighed in exasperation. "None of this is the point. We're getting completely off track. Okay... when you're trying to control your magic, you have to channel -"

Yuuri sat up suddenly. "Hey, do you wanna race? I bet I can make it to that tree over there before you do!"

"Eh? Wait, Yuuri, what about your magic lesson? Hey-!"

But the dark-haired boy had already leapt up and was tearing across the yard, throwing a string of taunts and catcalls over his shoulder.

Wolfram sighed and shook his head. "Fine," he said to himself, brushing off his uniform. "If that's how you want to play..."

The surprised shriek that echoed around the courtyard when the goal tree burst into flames was the most satisfying thing Wolfram had heard all day.


	3. Sleeping With My Head in Your Lap

**3. Sleeping With My Head in Your Lap**

Yuuri turned the corner, wriggling between two rain-slicked walls into a narrow alleyway. His heart pounding, he ran forward, the darkness of night looming oppressively around him. Heavy fog kept him from seeing more than two inches in front of his face, and he yelped when he very nearly ran right into a wall.

"A dead end...?" he whispered, whirling on his heels at the sound of footfalls behind him. His pursuer came into a view, a dark silhouette emerging from the fog. Yuuri took a few tentative steps backward until his back was pressed flush against the cool and clammy stone.

"W-What do you want?" he stammered out, straining to see his assailant's face. If only he were in Shin Makoku, Conrad would be there to save him, or he could call on the Maou... but he was on Earth now, and all he was was a boy, scared and wet and alone.

"Don't you recognize me?" came a familiar voice, teasing and melodic. The figure stepped forward until he was close enough that Yuuri could make out his features clearly. He gasped in recognition.

"Wolfram," he breathed. "How... why?"

The blonde just smirked, a predatory flash illuminating his emerald eyes. "You can only run for so long," he said enigmatically. "Eventually, your legs will give out."

Yuuri's heart pounded in his chest as Wolfram raised one hand and placed it firmly on the wall beside him. "You built this place, Yuuri," he murmured, and the fog closed in oppressively close.

Yuuri struggled to breathe, tried to run, but his legs were rooted in place and refused to move. His chest rose and fell heavily, as though a great weight were pressing against it. "Wolfram," he gasped, before the fog and the dark alley finally fell away.

"Wolfram!" he cried out, sitting straight up in bed. He was panting and covered in sweat, but other than that his room in Blood Pledge Castle was as it always was. He took several deep breaths and felt his racing heart begin to slow.

_It's just my room,_ he reassured himself. _It was just a dream._ He reached for the covers, but his hand encountered a mass of silky blonde hair instead. "Ah -" he murmured, looking down at his bedmate, who had wrapped himself around Yuuri's waist. The boy's fair head was resting on his thighs, and it was then that Yuuri realized that his legs were asleep. He tried to wiggle his toes and winced.

"Wolfram," he sighed exasperatedly, falling back onto the pillows. "No wonder. Hey, Wolf, move or something," he said, a bit louder. The boy just ignored him, the sound of his even breathing filling the dark room. After a few minutes Yuuri sighed and did what he had learned to do when Wolfram was hogging the bed.

"Come on," he murmured, taking the boy into his arms. Wolfram half-woke, though not enough to remember it in the morning, and crawled up to snuggle comfortably against Yuuri's chest. The young king thought he heard the word "wimp" muttered drowsily into his shoulder. He smiled a little and draped his arm over his fiancé's back.

"Goodnight to you too," he whispered, before drifting off again, and this time his dreams were much sweeter.


	4. Seasickness

**4. Seasickness**

"I don't think Anissina's Magic Anti-Vomit Machine works too well," Wolfram moaned woefully.

"Why's that - Oh, yuck. Aren't you supposed to use it before you throw up?"

"I did... oog."

Yuuri put his hands on his hips and thought for a moment. "Alright, I know what we can do. First, let's get you out of this room, and find someone to clean that up. Wanna go up on the deck?"

"No deck. Deck moves. Waves go up and down. No deck."

"Well, we have to get you someplace stable then." He furrowed his brow, then snapped his fingers as an idea came to him. "I know what to do! I saw it on TV once!"

"TV...?"

"Never mind that. Do you have a sheet or something?"

Wolfram pointed weakly at the beds from his hunched position on the floor. Yuuri strode over to one and ripped the blanket off in one sweeping motion. "This should do. Seems heavy enough," he mused, weighing the fabric in his hands. "Okay, now I need some nails or something." This posed him some more trouble, before his eyes landed on Morgif in his scabbard, resting on the table.

"Wolf, gimme your sword," he said, taking the Maken in one hand.

"Over my dead body, wimp..."

Yuuri sighed and approached Wolfram. He bent down and drew the boy's sword out of its scabbard easily. "I kinda like you when you're sick," he teased, hefting it appreciatively. "Too weak to fight back." Wolfram just glared icily at him.

The young king put the swords down on the one of the beds, ignoring Morgif's grumpy moans. With a grunt he pushed a small table out of the corner, then reached for the blanket. He folded it in half, and snatched his sword up with one hand. With a yell, he speared one corner of the blanket securely into the wooden wall.

"Hey..." Wolfram moaned weakly. "Gwendel will kill you. This is his ship, you know."

"Better than you puking all over it," Yuuri retorted, securing the other corner on the opposite wall with Wolfram's sword. The result was a messy, but useable, makeshift hammock. "There!" he said triumphantly. "If you lay down in this, gravity will keep you from swinging from side to side as the ship moves!"

When Wolfram made no effort to get up from the floor, Yuuri sighed exasperatedly and went over to pick him up. "Come on," he grunted, tugging at Wolfram's arms. "Geez, you sure are heavier than you look."

"Wimp," the young prince muttered sullenly, struggling to get to his feet. Yuuri helped him over to the hammock, which he fell into with a heavy thump. Morgif whined noisily.

"You be quiet," Yuuri said in his best Maou voice. He glanced at the mess on the floor. "Gross," he moaned, shaking his head. "What kind of Mazoku can't even -"

He turned around, ready to tease Wolfram mercilessly about his weakness, but he was stopped when he saw the young boy was already comfortably dozing in the makeshift hammock. "Oh, that figures," he said. "Leave it for someone else to clean up."

Yuuri sighed and rubbed his eyes. When he opened them again, his vision focused on the strange machine that Anissina had apparently made for Wolfram. Tilting his head curiously, he stalked forward to look at it more closely. It looked like a small tank on wheels, with a few buttons on one side and a long tube coming out of the other. The tube had a familiar funnel-shaped attachment on the end of it. Yuuri blinked and started to chuckle.

"A vaccuum cleaner," he croaked out between laughs. "Anissina, you're a genius!"

Somewhere far away, in a dark room deep in the Blood Pledge Castle, a little light blinked, accompanied by a pleasant _ding_. Anissina looked up from her workbench and smirked. "Why thank you," she chirped to her favorite invention, before turning back to her research.


	5. Golden Wings

**5. Golden Wings**

"Wolfram, would you like seconds?" Jennifer asked, in careful, stuttering Mazoku-ese. The young prince looked at Yuuri, who gave him a nod of approval. Wolfram turned back to his mother-in-law and smiled awkwardly.

"Yes, please," he responded, in equally careful Japanese. Yuuri beamed with pride. He'd managed to teach his somewhat stubborn husband a few phrases to help smooth things over with his family - and admittedly, he was also getting tired of doing all the translating.

Jennifer turned to her son and clasped her hands together in delight. "Ah, Yuu-chan, he's so cute and polite! You must bring him here more often!"

"Ah, Mom," Yuuri smiled nervously. "You know that's not possible, it was hard enough getting Ulrike to bring you and Dad out for the ceremony, and there are other complications as well..." _And,_ he added silently,_ if I have to explain public transportation to him one more time..._

Jennifer sat back, a disappointed expression on her face. "Well, at least you managed to bring him for your brother's wedding," she said. Her eyes grew wistful and misty. "Both of my children married... it'll be an empty nest..."

Yuuri's father raised his cup to his lips, hiding an amused smile. "Until we have grandchildren, that is," he said mischievously.

Jennifer squealed and Wolfram nearly choked. "Dad!" Yuuri exclaimed in irritation. "Don't provoke her! Why don't we just let Shori take care of that, okay?"

"Well, there is Greta," Wolfram said helpfully.

"Don't you start too!"

"Wolfram," Jennifer interjected. "I know you two haven't been married long, but we already consider you part of the family, and so... I was wondering if..."

"Here it comes," Yuuri muttered, taking a sullen bite of his dinner.

"Well..." The woman paused, wringing her napkin in her hands. "Can I see your wings?"

Wolfram blinked. "...Wings?" He looked to Yuuri to confirm that he was understanding the word properly.

Jennifer nodded enthusiastically. "They're blonde too, right?"

Yuuri smacked his forehead with one hand and listened to his father snigger mercilessly into his coffee. 


	6. Passing the Time Without You

**6. Passing the Time Without You**

_Click click click._

"O-Older brother?"

_Click click click._ "What is it, Wolfram?"

"I... dropped a stitch."

_Clack._ "Let me fix it for you."

"I'm... very sorry."

"Here. Be more careful."

_Click click click._

"Older brother?"

_Click-ity click click._ "What now, Wolfram?"

"Promise you won't tell anyone about this?"

_Click._ "Not a word."

_Click click click._ "...Good." 


	7. Hide and Seek

**7. Hide and Seek**

"10... 9... 8... 765... 4321!" Greta pulled her hands away from her eyes and looked around the room eagerly. "Now where could they be?" she mused, ducking down to peer under the bed. "Papa Wolfram might be hard to find, but Yuuri isn't very creative, so..."

She looked in their wardrobe, behind the curtains, under the table, and behind the door - but neither of her royal caretakers appeared. Having exhausted the options in their room, she made her way out into the corridor with a resolute expression on her face. There were a lot of places to hide in Blood Pledge Castle, and naturally Greta knew most of them. Of course, she couldn't check them all herself very quickly, so she tromped straight to the servant's quarters and enlisted the help of three idle maids.

Together, they investigated secret corridors, hidden rooms, cabinets, secluded entryways - and still no sign of Wolfram or Yuuri. Greta was getting frustrated, which was not a very good thing for Greta to be. It just inspired her to be resourceful. She was sitting on the ground, her brow furrowed thoughtfully, when the solution came to her. Wondering why she hadn't thought of it sooner, she grinned wickedly and set off in search of Anissina.

* * *

"We're almost there!" the inventor shouted as they tore down the castle corridor. She was on roller skates, holding for dear life onto a contraption that looked vaguely like a water diviner with a satellite dish. Greta rode on her shoulders, shrieking and laughing with glee.

"Whee!" she cried out, and threw her arms in the air, much to the chagrin of the three maids who were running alongside them and trying to make very sure the young princess didn't die in an untimely and spectacular manner. They all breathed a sigh of relief when Anissina's device bleeped softly and let up its pull, bringing them all to a slow stop outside of a dingy-looking broom closet.

"Victory!" Anissina chirped, letting Greta down off of her shoulders. "Missing king located!"

The little girl giggled madly and reached for the door handle, tearing it open with a yank. "I found -" she trailed off, her jaw dropping to the floor.

Inside, Yuuri was backed up against the wall, one leg tangled around Wolfram's and his shirt pushed up to bunch around his shoulders. One of Wolfram's arms was around the boy's exposed waist, holding him up and also (apparently) strategically working its way into Yuuri's pants. The young king's hands were busy at work on Wolfram's jacket, which he had most of the way undone, and several suspicious marks were visible on the blonde's neck. They jerked their heads up in alarm, blinked in the sudden light, and as if on cue, blushed violently and tore away from each other as though they were vile anathema. Yuuri yanked his shirt down and laughed nervously.

All three maids sighed happily in unison.

"G-Greta!" Wolfram stuttered, kneeling to look the little girl in the eyes. "Looks like you found us! You won!"

"Daddies?" the little girl said curiously. "Why did you hide in the same place?"

"Ah," said Yuuri. "Um... because it wouldn't be fair if we hid separately! That's two against one, right?" He looked to Wolfram desperately.

"Right, right!" the young noble nodded enthusiastically. "We just wanted it to be fair, princess." He leaned forward to give her a quick kiss on the forehead.

"Then... why were you undressing?" she asked, her eyes wide and innocent.

"Um... because it was hot in there?" Yuuri answered tentatively.

"I'll say," Anissina muttered under her breath. Wolfram shot her a look.

Greta looked a bit disappointed. "Oh... well, I'm sad that it's over. No making it easy for me next time, okay?"

"O-Of course, Greta," Wolfram responded with a nervous smile. "Promise."

She smiled back. "Well, thanks for playing with me, Daddies! I'm going to go see if Uncle Gwendel got me the yarn I asked him for. See you later!" She waved and trotted back into the castle, humming under her breath.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Wolfram and Yuuri both let out a deep breath and slumped to the floor. "Anissina..." Yuuri murmured, his shoulders slouched. "She wasn't supposed to find us that fast..."

"You should think twice before underestimating a woman!" she scolded, causing the maids to titter in agreement. She hefted the divining device and looked at it proudly. "But thank you both for proving that my invention works perfectly!"

Wolfram looked up and eyed the strange contraption. "What do you call it?"

"Anissina's Magic Get-Yuuri-Out-Of-The-Closet Machine!" she announced. She looked from boy to boy expectantly as their faces transformed into masks of utter chagrin. "What?" she finally said. "I knew it would come in handy someday, didn't I?" 


	8. The Radiance of the Sun

**8. The Radiance of the Sun**

(A/N: This is a continuation of the story started in 1. "Marriage Proposal." Contains some plot speculation.)

"You really do look just like him," a quietly sublime voice murmured.

Wolfram turned, pulling his eyes away from the painting of the Original King that he had been gazing at for some time. Murata was standing a few feet behind him, his arms folded and his head inclined slightly, light from the setting sun glinting off his wire-frame glasses. The boy gave Wolfram a good-natured smile that somehow raised his hackles, and his eyes narrowed unconsciously.

"You're not quite as tall," Murata continued, not noticing or choosing to ignore the fairer boy's reaction to his presence. "But then, you're not finished growing yet, are you?" He stepped forward to peer up at the painting. "It's not a bad likeness, really."

Wolfram looked back up at the hauntingly familiar face gazing down at them. He had passed by it many times, but today he felt drawn to it, as though there was something there that he needed to understand. As he studied the portrait of the greatest Mazoku that had ever lived, he struggled to understand the fragile thread that connected them through blood across the generations. What was he supposed to see when he looked up at that face? Was he looking into a mirror? Was he looking through time? Was he seeing the past, or the future?

He stirred, running one hand through his tousled hair. _Where does the resemblance end? _he wondered pensively.

And next to the Original King was the portrait of the Great Sage, silently mirroring Murata's serene expression. Black hair, black eyes, darker than death. The man who was not dressed for war but was nevertheless unquestionably deadly. "What was he like?" he finally asked, turning to face the sage now standing beside him.

Murata smirked. "He's a lot like you," he said, pushing his glasses up with one long finger. "Stubborn and domineering. Powerful and noble. Strong of conviction. And," he added, his dark eyes twinkling. "Sometimes a bit of a softy."

An unexpected blush crept to Wolfram's face. "I guess you heard, then."

"It didn't take long," Murata admitted with a chuckle. "It was all over the castle in a matter of hours. Congratulations, by the way."

"I suppose the ceremony will be soon..." Wolfram murmured, almost to himself. "I should be happy, but I've only been able to think of this." He gestured toward the large portrait hanging in front of them. "Why? Why can't I get it out of my mind?"

Murata crossed his arms over his chest. "Because you're going to be a king."

Wolfram looked up, startled. "Yuuri is the king," he said faintly.

"And in marrying him you will become the next in the line of succession. You will have to assume certain responsibilities." Murata smiled ever so faintly, as if acknowledging some inside joke. "Don't tell me you haven't thought of that."

"Is that what you think I'm after, Murata?" Wolfram demanded, scowling.

The boy laughed quietly. "Not at all. And at the same time, it's all that matters."

Wolfram's eyes narrowed. "I love him," he hissed. "If you doubt me, by all means feel free to test the strength of my convictions." His hand unconsciously moved to grip the hilt of his sword.

"I don't doubt you," Murata said evenly. "On the contrary, I think you're a very fitting match for Yuuri."

Wolfram relaxed a little and looked at the other boy intently. "...You know something," he finally said.

"I know many things. Which one are you referring to?" he asked innocently.

The blonde scoffed, tossing his long bangs back with a shake of his head. "Stop playing around."

Murata smiled and said nothing. After a moment he removed his glasses and put them in his pocket, first folding them carefully. He crossed his arms and gazed levelly at Wolfram. "That was a lovely gem you gave him," he finally said. "A sunstone, I believe?"

"...Yes."

"Tell me, why that particular kind?"

Wolfram looked back at him, flushing slightly. "Actually, because of something you said. That Yuuri is the sun in everyone's lives..." he smiled and shook his head. "I have never known a better person. Even if he is bit hard to look after sometimes."

Murata nodded. "Indeed, his soul shines beyond compare. But you should know something. Wherever there is a light that bright, there is an equally dark shadow lurking beyond it." He looked up, his eyes dark and unreadable.

"Is that where I am?" Wolfram asked slowly.

The sage smirked. "No," he said. "That's where I am." The sun had almost completely set, and only a pale orange glow remained in the corridor. Two long shadows twisted away from them and skated across the floor when Murata replaced his glasses and turned to retreat back into the castle. "Your job, Wolfram," he said quietly over his shoulder, "is to protect him from the darkness that is drawn to his brilliance. That is how it was meant to be. Do you understand?"

Wolfram addressed the boy with a solemn expression. "I would die before allowing anything to happen to Yuuri," he swore.

"Oh, I have no doubt of that," Murata murmured, then put his hands in his pockets and disappeared into the shadows.


	9. Naked Man

**9. Naked Man**

"Wolfram."

"Mmmph. What? It's early."

"There's a naked man in our room."

Wolfram smirked suggestively and pulled Yuuri closer. "Tell me about it."

"I mean besides us."

"Go back to - whaaat?" The blonde boy sat straight up, his hand already reaching for his scabbard beside the bed. When his eyes adjusted to the low light, he let out an exasperated sigh and let it fall back to the floor.

"Yozak..." he growled. "Why are you in our room, naked, at four o'clock in the morning?"

The redheaded soldier straightened up from his failed attempt to walk silently and put one hand on his hip. "Alright, you caught me. Though honestly, if you don't want people sneaking into the castle through your room, you really shouldn't leave the window open like that."

"Yozak," Wolfram said through clenched teeth, his hands curling into fists. "We're on the third floor!"

The man lifted his eyebrows. "Oh really? Is it only that high? It felt like more." He pouted. "I must be getting old."

"At least cover yourself," Yuuri moaned, trying to shield his eyes behind his hand. Both Yozak and Wolfram ignored him dutifully.

"You never told me why you were sneaking into the castle at four o'clock in the morning, Yozak..."

Yozak rolled his eyes as though it were the dumbest question he'd ever heard. "I can't very well walk past the gate guards like this, can I? I'd never live it down. Honestly, Wolfram."

"Then where are your clothes?"

"In my room, of course."

"And why aren't you wearing them?"

He quirked an eyebrow. "Would you believe spontaneous combustion?"

"No."

"Lost them in a game of cards?"

"You always cheat."

"Rape attempt?"

"Not with that face."

"I was streaking past Gwendel's bedroom window?"

"...I might believe that."

"Great! Let's say it's that then," he chirped, then grinned and waved jovially as he sauntered out of the room. 


	10. Angel's Smile

**10. Angel's Smile**

Shibuya Yuuri had seen a lot of bizarre things since his arrival in Shin Makoku - flying skeletons, pirates in sailor uniforms, an 800-year-old little girl, and Yozak in a dress... on several occasions. But nothing could prepare him for what had just happened. Simply put, he wasn't ready for it at all.

He turned away from the window to address the boy standing next to him. "What did you just say?" he asked incredulously, his face a mask of disbelief.

Wolfram leaned on the windowsill and looked up at him calmly. "I asked if I could kiss you," he said, brushing his bangs out of his face with two long fingers. He smiled slightly. "Did you think I was never going to ask?"

Yuuri could hardly speak. He felt his face blanch, and his tongue was numb and sluggish in his mouth. "K-Kiss?" he finally stammered out. "You want to... kiss me?"

Wolfram gave him an exasperated look. "Are you seriously asking me that question?"

Yuuri's eyes widened. He looked around frantically, trying to think of a place he could hide, preferably for a good long time. Wolfram put a stop to that by placing a firm hand on his shoulder, forcing his gaze back up to those impossibly green eyes. He felt the blanch in his cheeks instantly transform to a warm flush, which irritated him intensely.

"Yuuri, are you blushing?" The victorious expression on Wolfram's face was almost too much to bear.

The young king winced and turned his head. "It's not what you think," he scowled. "C'mon Wolf, you're embarrassing me."

Wolfram sighed. "I just figured, since we're here in the moonlight and all..."

"I thought we were just having a conversation," Yuuri said sullenly.

"It was a romantic moment!"

"We're both men! Men don't have romantic moments!"

Wolfram's looked up in surprise, then laughed softly. "Is that what this is about?" he asked. "If so, you have a lot to learn about the kinds of relationships men can have."

"Oh, I suppose you would know, wouldn't you!" Yuuri's face burned and he yanked out of the young noble's grasp. He ignored Wolfram's startled expression and turned to walk away, only getting a few steps before strong fingers on his wrist pulled him back. "Let me go," he said quietly. He didn't look up, afraid to let Wolfram see the anger and confusion he was feeling. Certainly, the blonde was beautiful, and his sexual preferences were no secret, but they had always had an unspoken agreement. He had never seriously approached Yuuri... never seriously pressed the question...

"Yuuri..." Wolfram's voice brought him out of his reverie. The young king looked up slowly. "I'll let you go, but answer my question first."

"W-Why..." Yuuri managed to stutter out. "Why did you ask me that...?"

A tender smile spread across the fairer boy's face. "Idiot. Because I love you."

There it was. Yuuri couldn't do anything but stare at that hauntingly beautiful smile, a beacon in the pale moonlit glow surrounding his fiance. _He looks like an angel, _he thought suddenly._ When he smiles, he really does look like an angel. _"Wolfram," he whispered. He felt like a wrecking ball was thumping against the inside of his chest. "I just don't know... if I'm like that..." The rest of the sentence hung unspoken in the air. _I don't know... if I'm like you._

Wolfram touched the side of Yuuri's face in a rare gesture of affection. "Would you like to find out?" he murmured tenderly.

Something clicked in Yuuri's head. Wolfram was right. He had been avoiding the question for so long that the possibility of really finding out for sure had never occurred to him. _If I do this, I'll know. One way or another, I'll know._ He swallowed. After a long pause, he finally met Wolfram's emerald gaze and nodded slowly.

The young noble's eyes lit up and some unfamiliar emotion washed over his face. This way, in this light, Yuuri almost didn't recognize him. His pouty, selfish, overprotective fiance was gone, replaced by something more akin to a hunter finally given permission to pursue his quarry. _Like a wolf in sheep's clothing_, he thought, as he allowed Wolfram to tilt his face up slightly. He suddenly felt quite drunk.

"Have you ever done this?" Wolfram asked, his breath feathering across Yuuri's lips.

"...No," he responded softly. _I can't believe this is happening._

Wolfram smirked, something like satisfaction shining in his eyes. "Good," he said, cupping Yuuri's cheek with one hand. "I wanted to be your first."

"What's that supposed to -" Yuuri started to say, before he was silenced by his fiance's lips pressed firmly against his own. By the time he was aware of what was happening, he was already kissing the boy back, his eyes drifting closed of their own accord. He was trying to focus on the experience, but it became increasingly impossible to pay attention to anything as his head filled with the scent and taste of Wolfram von Bielefeld. _I'm kissing a prince_, he thought dimly as his hands unconsciously moved to press against Wolfram's chest. _And he is kissing a king._ The other boy shifted and slid his arms around Yuuri, drawing him closer at the same time as he deepened the kiss. His lips were so soft and warm against Yuuri's that the young king found himself desperately wanting to stay there forever, and he made a noise of protest when Wolfram finally pulled away.

"You have to breathe, Yuuri," Wolfram panted, his own flushed cheeks betraying a similar reluctance to stop.

Yuuri took a long, shaky breath. "Wolfram..." was all he could manage to say. He leaned forward, pressing his forehead against his fiance's. His shoulders slumped and he felt strangely weak as he struggled to control the rushed rising and falling of his chest.

Wolfram nudged his nose against Yuuri's, an appreciative smile gracing his face. "Well? How was that?"

Yuuri just shook his head wordlessly. Wolfram caught him in his arms and pulled away to look him in the eyes. "Yuuri," he said, his voice now quite serious. "If you don't want this, all you have to do is say so, and I'll never do that again. Understand?"

The young king looked up sharply. "Wolfram," he breathed. "If you ever stop..."

A vulnerable look shone in his fiance's eyes. "Yuuri, don't say that if you don't mean it..."

"Shut up. Don't ever stop. Wolf..."

"Yuuri." He kissed the other boy again, more roughly this time, his hands clinging to the black fabric of his fiance's uniform as though he were afraid the boy would disappear at any moment. When they finally broke away from each other, his face was heated and flushed a deep rose, causing Yuuri to blush in turn. "Does this mean you like boys after all?" Wolfram teased, nudging the pretty young king.

"I don't know," Yuuri confessed, as he slid his arms around his fiancé's waist. "I think it just means I like you."

Wolfram smiled his angel's smile then, causing Yuuri's heart to trill in his chest. "I can live with that," the boy said softly, leaning his fair head on Yuuri's shoulder and sighing deeply into their embrace.

"Me too," Yuuri murmured. "It really doesn't seem so bad."


	11. I'll Protect You

**11. "I'll Protect You"**

(A/N: This story is continued from 1. "Marriage Proposal" and 8. "The Radiance of the Sun.")

"I'm going to forget them."

"You won't forget them. Let's just go over it again." Gisela sighed and picked up the crumpled piece of paper that Wolfram had been hunched over for the past hour. "Start from the beginning."

The young noble and today, groom, sighed loudly and tried to brush some errant strands of hair from his forehead. Dorcas swatted his hand away and pulled a soft bristle brush through the loose pieces. "Your Excellence," he said hastily. "Don't fuss now. It won't stay if you keep touching it..."

"Bah, what do you know anyway? I can't believe I'm having my hair done by a bald man!"

He got a gentle bonk on the head with the hairbrush for that. "I assure you Dorcas is quite capable," Gisela interjected, waving the piece of paper back and forth. "Just let him take care of it. Practice your vows now. Honestly, who forgets to write them until the day of the wedding..."

"Fine," Wolfram snarled, crossing his arms impatiently. He couldn't abide by all this primping. He still didn't understand why he couldn't just show up in his dress uniform. He felt he looked quite dashing in it, and he almost feared to think of what matrimonial concoction the others had cooked up for him. His only consolation was the knowledge that Yuuri was probably getting the same treatment from his mother and older brothers. The thought made him smirk, until the very appealing notion of his fiance decked out in full royal gear entered his mind. _Maybe it won't be so bad after all,_ he thought appreciatively, basking for a moment in the image.

"Vooows," Gisela reminded him sternly. Wolfram jerked out of his reverie and gave her a guilty look.

"Yes, sir," he muttered, taking a deep breath. "Okay, here goes. Stop me if I mess it up." He straightened in his chair and adopted a serious expression. "Yuuri," he began. "As your loyal subject, guardian, friend, and husband, I do swear to love and cherish you, to honor you completely, and to protect you as long as I live, no matter what may come. I... ah..."

"I hereby..." Gisela prompted.

"I hereby give myself to you, and wheresoever you will go, I shall go too. Even in your darkest moments, you will always find me there. This I promise, until death do us part." He paused, then added a decisive "Wimp."

Gisela and Dorcas sighed in unison. "Lovely, Wolfram," she declared, handing the paper back to him. "You'll do fine. Although that last bit wasn't in the script." Her eyes twinkled and she reached out to touch his hand. "Are you nervous?"

"Hmph!" he huffed, turning his head quickly to the side and drawing a moan from Dorcas. "Why should I be nervous?" Sadly, he was betrayed by a little twitch in his nose. He saw the incredulous look on Gisela's face and sighed softly. "Maybe a little. This is all happening so fast. I know that's what I wanted, but..."

"It's okay. Everyone gets nervous on their wedding day," she assured him. "Here, Dorcas and I got you something. I think it might cheer you up." Wolfram watched her curiously as she dug around in her bag to produce a small wrapped box. He opened it carefully, trying not to tilt his head too much and disturb Dorcas's ministrations. Inside, he found a curious bundle of blue silk and a small glass bottle with a rubber stopper.

"Dear Wolfram," he read, unfolding the accompanying note. "Congratulations. We figured you wouldn't be prepared since you put everything off until the last minute, so here are some necessities for the wedding night. Enjoy!" A groan escaped his lips as he unfolded the roll of silk. "A blindfold? And peach-scented 'massage oil'!" He gritted his teeth and one blonde eyebrow twitched, making him for a moment a perfect mirror of his oldest brother.

Gisela laughed nervously. "We thought it might help to take your mind off things! One less thing to worry about, right?"

"Well, it's not helping, thank you very much!" His cheeks had flushed bright pink, which he could see reflected in the vanity across from him. "Where did you guys get this stuff, anyway?"

"The oil is a home recipe I found in one of Günter's books. I hear it's quite - ah, effective. As for the blindfold, that was Dorcas's idea..."

Wolfram shot the man a scathing look in the mirror. Dorcas grinned apologetically, holding a brush in one hand and a set of pins in the other. The blonde sighed and closed his eyes. As if he wasn't distracted enough...

More time passed than he must have realized, because he was startled out of yet another daydream by Dorcas's exclamation that his hair was finished. He opened his eyes and blinked once at the almost unfamiliar face that looked back at him. His hair had been straightened and smoothed, so it was almost as supple as Günter's. His bangs were arranged neatly around his eyes, and the longer pieces in back had been pulled into a small, low ponytail that was tied with a black velvet ribbon. "Wow," he breathed. "I look almost... regal."

"I told you he was qualified," Gisela said proudly. Dorcas bowed his head and gathered up his tools before shuffling out of the room. Wolfram thanked him as he went, wondering why he was in such a hurry to leave suddenly. When he stood up and brushed himself off, he saw why.

Gisela had opened the wardrobe and produced a large clothing bag. She handed it to Wolfram, and even he struggled with the weight of it. "Your outfit," she said with a smile. "We had it made specially for the occasion. You can thank Lady Cheri for the design."

Wolfram resisted the urge to groan. "Ah, I see," he said half-heartedly. "I suppose I'll get changed then." _The moment of truth. Please, gods, just let it not be a dress._

He shuffled behind a dressing screen and slipped out of his clothes, while Gisela kept her back politely to him. He opened up the clothing bag and removed the garment on top, a tailored suit made of pure white linen with brilliant blue silk trim along the shoulders and cuffs. He breathed a sign of relief at the surprisingly tasteful outfit, and he found that it fit him perfectly. A row of ebony buttons marched up his chest as he buttoned up the jacket, and next in the bag he found a pair of pure black boots shined to a brilliant sheen. Wolfram found himself flushed with excitement. He was never allowed to wear so much black - he felt strangely different in these new colors.

Looking down, he found two things left in the clothing bag - first was a bulky white fur cloak, which he ran his fingers over appreciatively before slinging it over his back. Two more black buttons were fixed at the shoulders of the jacket, allowing him to secure the heavy garment in place. It pooled at his feet in a bothersome train, and he wondered absently at how he would keep from stepping on it. Finally he bent down to pick up the last piece, a delicate silver tiara that fit perfectly over his forehead, arcing in a graceful vee to a single tear-shaped sapphire. He smiled. _Mother... thank you._

When he stepped out from behind the screen, Gisela turned and gasped. "Lord Wolfram!" she exclaimed, her green eyes lighting up. "You look... wonderful! Hmm... older somehow, and I think those shoes add some height." She nodded approvingly. "What do you think?"

Wolfram turned and looked himself over in the full-length mirror. Even he was surprised at what he saw there. Usually, when he looked at his reflection he saw a diminutive, scrappy child with uncontrollable hair who stood at least a foot shorter than most everyone around him. Honestly, he'd always felt a little insecure about it - he knew he was adorable, maybe even beautiful, in a boyish way that attracted a lot of attention, but he never really felt like the noble-blooded Mazoku that he was. Especially not when walking next to Gwendel or even his half-breed brother. Somehow, he felt that he paled beside them.

But what he saw today was completely different, almost as though he were somebody else. He seemed to stand taller, straighter, with more bearing - his smoothed hair shined in the late morning sun streaming in the dressing room window behind him. He didn't look like a child who had just come in from a day of sparring with wooden swords in the courtyard. He looked like what he was about to become - royalty. Not a third-son prince, not the child of some provincial noble, but the beneficiary of a nation, and the husband of a king.

"This is going to be a big day," he said to himself, though it was Gisela who responded.

She straightened his cloak around his shoulders and smoothed down the sides of his jacket. "You'll be fine," she soothed. "You love him, right? Just think of it as something you have to go through, and the reward is that you get to be with him forever."

"Yeah," he echoed faintly. "Forever."

* * *

The ceremony was set to take place at the temple of the Original King, and when Wolfram rode up in his white and gilded carriage, he wasn't surprised to see a matching black carriage sitting outside the palace gate. A set of royal guards flanked the doors, and he figured Yuuri was already inside. _Just like him to show up early and make me look bad_, he thought, though he knew that was the tradition. 

"As your loyal husband, guardian, and... wait... that's not right..." he muttered to himself as he was helped out of the carriage and escorted through the gate by members of his personal guard.

"Are you ready, milord?" One of them whispered as they faced the huge double doors of the palace.

"No," Wolfram responded honestly. "But open the doors anyway."

The fair-headed soldier nodded obediently, and with the help of another guard pulled the massive set of doors open. It was quite dark inside, and it took Wolfram's eyes a few moments to adjust to the lower light when he stepped over the threshold. There was a moment of silence and hazy blindness that seemed to stretch out forever, and when he finally blinked away the shadows he was greeted with a most spectacular sight.

Somehow, the entire interior chamber of the temple was packed with people, most of whom Wolfram didn't recognize or was only barely acquainted with. They shuffled to their feet and turned to look at him, but he didn't step forward. He just looked around in stunned silence. Weddings in Shin Makoku were never this big. Usually it was only a priest or priestess, the couple, and a handful of close relatives to act as witnesses and supporters. _This must be Yuuri's doing_, he thought numbly. _I never knew he had so many friends. Or did he just invite the whole kingdom?_

After a moment, Wolfram remembered where he was and squared his shoulders. He was about to step forward when he felt a small hand slip into his own. He looked down into a pair of shining, inquisitive brown eyes, and warmth flooded his heart.

"Greta," he said softly, his voice choked with emotion. "What are you doing here?"

"Yuuri wanted me to throw flowers around," she whispered. "But I thought you looked like you needed me more. Do you know what you're supposed to do?"

Wolfram looked down at his daughter with open, tender eyes. He nodded once, silently, and gave her hand a small squeeze. She smiled and squeezed back, then marched off down the aisle to toss blue and white flower petals out of a little basket. He followed her one step after the other, oblivious to the awed murmurs of the audience on either side, staying intently focused on the trail of flowers in front of him. He felt in his heart that if he just followed that trail, it would lead him home.

His feet stopped when the flower petals did. He hesitated - the safety line had ended, and it was up to him now. "Papa," Greta whispered from off to his side. "Look up!"

He hadn't realized it, but all this time he hadn't looked to the end of the long aisle. His head was bowed at an almost reverent angle, and it was with great effort that he took a deep breath and lifted his chin to face his future.

Much later, he would recount the following moments to friends and family with far greater clarity than he could comprehend it in the immediate moment. His emerald eyes opened wide and filled with light as they tried to take in the scene before him. A low altar had been set up, and it was covered with pale white and blue roses. It was flanked on either side by Ulrike and Murata, who were almost unrecognizable in some kind of ceremonial gear that Wolfram had never seen before. Behind them, stars glittered in the constant flow of water, lighting the area with a dreamlike glow that eliminated the need for candles. On the right was Conrad, standing erect in his dress uniform but bearing a smile of indescribable tenderness. On the left was the tall and statuesque form of Gwendel, who nodded almost imperceptibly when Wolfram met his eyes.

And in the center of all of it was Yuuri.

Everything else he could dissect, parcel into bite-sized thoughts and feelings that his numbed mind could comprehend. His brothers. The priestess. The flowers. Greta. The low, steady sound of flowing water. But he was completely defeated by the sight of his soon-to-be-husband on that day, in that place, dressed like a king and surrounded by glittering lights.

His mouth opened and closed once.

Yuuri looked back at him, his wide, honest eyes betraying his own overflow of emotion as the two of them stood frozen in that moment. His hair, dark as night, was arranged artfully around his face, and a brilliant golden circlet crowned his head. He stood two shallow stairs up from Wolfram, and a long blue silk cloak fringed with white fur tumbled down his back to pool on the steps. His clothing itself was so black it was practically a void, save for a row of polished ivory buttons and a gilded blue sash that cut across his chest.

Only dimly aware of what he was doing, Wolfram ascended the small steps to meet his fiancé face to face. There was another pause, this one filled with hushed murmurs and sighs from the crowd, as they gazed into each other's eyes. He wandered, lost, for what felt like ages, but in reality only a handful of moments had passed.

Murata had just cleared his throat pointedly, and was opening his mouth to start the ceremony, when something inside Wolfram snapped. All of his confusion and anxiety fell away, and in one swift motion he stepped forward and drew Yuuri to him, lowering his head to claim a breath-stealing kiss from his fiancé. Yuuri murmured in surprise but returned the kiss nonetheless, to the delight of the audience and the chagrin of his soon-to-be brothers-in-law.

"Wolfram!" Murata hissed, leaning forward. "You're supposed to wait for that until after the ceremony!"

The blonde boy dutifully ignored him, pulling Yuuri close and turning his head to deepen the kiss. The sage smacked his forehead and looked desperately at Ulrike, who blushed girlishly and shrugged.

"What about the rings?" he hissed, turning back to the two boys who were getting embarrassingly close to mating right there on the temple floor. "The blessings? The sermon? The vows!"

At that, Wolfram broke away for breath, panting and slightly flushed. "Oh yeah," he said, his eyes never leaving Yuuri's. "I spent all morning writing them."

Yuuri's nose wrinkled in annoyance. "You waited until today to write them? Honestly, Wolf..."

"Quiet. I'm trying to remember."

"You don't say them yet," Murata said woefully, but no one was listening.

"Yuuri," Wolfram started, his brow furrowed in concentration. "As your loyal subject, guardian, and husband... er, I mean, as your loyal husband, I do promise to... wait. That's not it either..."

He struggled for a moment longer, the expectant looks of the audience, his family, and Yuuri all bearing down on him. The vows he'd written so carefully evaporated from his memory, and in the end he was left with the only part of it that mattered.

"I promise... I'll always protect you. No matter what happens, Yuuri, I'll protect you."

Yuuri looked back at him with wide eyes for a moment, then smiled warmly. "I know," he said, taking Wolfram's hand in his own. "Now, let's get married, shall we?"

And they did.


	12. Love Child

**12. Love Child**

Yuuri sneezed violently. The abandoned building was not only in a state of horrid disrepair, it also hadn't been cleaned in years, and the dust was wreaking havoc on his allergies. Honestly, he wouldn't be there at all, if a certain stubborn, childish, selfish, and damn persistent Mazoku boy hadn't insisted on it.

A boy. That was rich. He was what - seventy-five? Eighty? An eighty-year-old pretty-boy who looks fifteen and acts twelve. That was Wolfram in a nutshell. Yuuri snorted, which only served to launch him into another sneezing fit.

"Quiet!" the other boy hissed. "You'll scare them away!"

"Honestly, Wolfram," Yuuri moaned, rubbing his nose with a heavily soiled handkerchief. "Do we really have to be here for this? I mean, they're returning to mate, right? Don't you think it's weird to... you know, watch them?"

"We're their foster parents!" Wolfram huffed. "This is a beautiful celebration of life, and we're going to sit here and support them!" He crossed his arms stubbornly. "Don't be such a wimp."

"Don't call me a - ah, ah-choo!" That did it. Yuuri got to his feet and headed for the rope ladder they had lowered into the basement chamber.

"Hey!" Wolfram jumped up to follow him. "They'll be here any minute! Get back here!"

"Forget it! This was a dumb -" Yuuri's admonition was stopped mid-sentence by the sudden appearance of a flock of cute, cuddly, and huge bear bees. They immediately swarmed around their adoptive parents, nuzzling and licking them both affectionately. "Hey, cut it out," Yuuri gasped between slobbery kisses. "I'm trying to be mad here."

"Nogisu!"

Wolfram beamed. "You're all looking well," he said warmly, patting the head of a nearby bear bee. "Good timing, too. Your other daddy was about to wimp out on you."

"Hey, don't try to turn them against me!" Yuuri retorted. "I just wanted to give them some privacy is all..."

"Yuuri," Wolfram said with a tempered sigh. "Do you know how bear bees mate?"

"Well, uh..." the young king paused. "Not really..."

"They all gather in a circle and join hands with their chosen one. Then they spin around, faster and faster, until there's a bright flash of light. Then they lay their eggs, which will eventually hatch into the bear bugs you and I encountered before..."

Yuuri's eyelids drooped. "You're kidding."

"No, I read it in one of Gunter's books! Honestly, Yuuri, you should pick one up sometime."

"That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard! Animals can't just -"

"Nogisu! Nogisu!"

Yuuri turned to look at the crowd of bear bees, who were calling and beckoning for them to come over. He looked to Wolfram and shrugged before following them. Two of the larger animals hovered to meet the two boys, then pushed them together insistently.

"Huh - what's going on?" Yuuri wondered.

"I think they want us to hold hands and join the circle," Wolfram whispered.

"What! Wait just a -"

"Just do it. It's ridiculous, right?" Wolfram gave Yuuri a smug sidelong look.

"Hmph." Yuuri huffed and snatched the other boy's hand into his own. "I hope you don't think this means you're my chosen one."

"No, I already knew that when you proposed to me," Wolfram responded with a smirk, but Yuuri never got a chance to deliver a comeback. The bear bees had started to emit a low hum, which blended with the buzzing of their wings to create a simple kind of harmony. The two boys looked up in awe as the animals formed into a rough circle and began to spin around them.

"Wolf," Yuuri murmured. "Why are they circling around us?"

"I don't know," Wolfram responded honestly. "They don't seem to be paired off either. This wasn't in the book..."

The ring of bear bees spun faster and faster, the pitch of their two-note chord growing higher and higher as they whirled around the two boys. When they were all but a pink and black blur, a tiny spark of light began to shine above their heads. Wolfram and Yuuri watched, speechless, as it grew into a bold sphere that seemed to radiate all colors at once. All of the sudden, it exploded in a burst of light, causing both of them to jerk their heads back and knock violently against one another. Their vision blurred and they both sank to the ground, unconscious.

Some amount of time later, Yuuri stirred awake. "Oh, my head..." he moaned softly, blinking in the low light. His eyes widened when he remembered where he was. He sat up sharply, causing Wolfram to start awake.

"What happened...?" the blonde boy said sluggishly, rubbing his head.

"I don't know. The bear bees were here, weren't they? But the room is empty now..." They looked all around them, but there was no sign of the cute animals. "They must have gone home..."

"Yuuri, look at this!"

The young king followed Wolfram into a shadowed corner, where a single egg glowed with a pale light. "One egg..." he said woefully. "Only one?"

Wolfram knelt and looked at it thoughtfully, reaching out to touch the smooth surface with long fingers. "It feels warm," he said. "Like it's responding to my touch." He pursed his lips, then they spread into a wide grin and he started to laugh. "Oh no," he chuckled. "I think I get it now."

"Get... what?"

"Bear bees are communal by nature. They do everything together, even mating and raising children." He stood and looked at Yuuri with a gentle expression. "I don't think they thought of us as their parents. I think they thought of us as their children."

Yuuri looked back at him. "So... that egg...?"

The blonde smiled awkwardly. "It seems they were trying to help us mate."

"No way..." Yuuri smacked his forehead with one hand. "As if we don't have enough children..."

Wolfram bent down and tenderly gathered the egg into his arms. "The bear bees are truly magical creatures," he said reverently. "Even though we're another species, they incorporated us into their community."

"Hasn't anyone in this world heard of genetics...?" Yuuri muttered to himself.

"Come on!" Wolfram beamed. "Let's get her back to the castle!" He turned and made for the ladder, cradling the egg carefully.

"Oh, so it's a girl now? Do we even know what it's going to hatch into? Or if it's going to hatch at all?"

"Of course it will!" He looked down and stroked the egg with one hand. "If we love it and care for it, it will turn into something wonderful."

Yuuri shrugged in defeat and followed after his fiancé. "And how do you know that?"

Wolfram stopped and turned to smile warmly at Yuuri. "Because it's you and me, of course."

The young king blinked, then shook his head, a small smile creeping to his lips. "I swear, Wolf..."

"Yeah, yeah. I've heard it. Now, let's get out of here before you sneeze the whole place down."

"...Nogisu."


	13. Hugging the Pillow

**13. Hugging the Pillow**

He'd been gone for over three months now. 

Three months and three days, to be exact, and Wolfram could be exact. He could be exact because he counted every day that Yuuri was absent from Shin Makoku, and whether he liked it or not, the number was burned into his head. 

After two weeks he'd gone to the palace of the Original King and demanded, unsuccessfully, that Ulrike bring Yuuri back immediately. 

After two months he'd gone back and demanded, unsuccessfully, to see Murata, who had gone into seclusion. 

After two months and two weeks he started refusing to leave their room. This morning was no different. 

"Wolfram," a gentle voice called from the other side of the door. 

It was Conrad. "Go away," Wolfram said flatly, not moving from his place on the bed. 

"It's time for morning drills." 

"I'm not leaving." He threw a pillow half-heartedly at the door. 

A pause. "Get up and get dressed. That's an order, Wolfram." 

"Then I'm resigning from the service." They had this conversation every day. It always ended the same way. 

"...I'll process another day of vacation for you, then." 

Wolfram listened to the older man's footsteps disappear down the hall. He let out a long sigh. Conrad could easily break that door down, but he never did. Wolfram guessed he kept the others from coming after him too. Deep down, he knew the reason his commander and older brother was being so accommodating was because he understood what Wolfram was going through. Conrad's heart was breaking too - he just chose to express it in a different way. 

The blonde boy curled around a large fluffy pillow, the blankets bunching around his thin body. He wrapped his arms around it and inhaled deeply, certain that he could still smell Yuuri there, even after all this time. It wasn't much, but if he closed his eyes, and turned his head just so, then he could almost pretend it was him. Almost. 

Another day passed, the sun rising and falling as Wolfram strayed into memories and dreams, halfway hoping he would lose his way and never return. 


	14. A Kiss From a Prince

**14. A Kiss from a Prince**

"ABSOLUTELY NOT."

"Wooolf," Yuuri moaned, hurrying along behind his irritated fiancé "There's no one else here who qualifies. Gwendel is at Castle Walde until late next week, Conrad isn't a full Mazoku... and I'm a king, not a prince..."

"I am _not_ kissing Günter. I don't care what he 'accidentally' got stuck on his head."

"It's not even really a kiss! Come on, pleeeease? I'll make him destroy the crown this time, I really will."

"Yuuri, this is the _fifth_ time! Seriously, how many times does it take!"

Yuuri frowned. "Well, honestly, I think he was rather expecting Gwendel to be around... now that I think about it, it's been him every time..." He paused and touched his hand to his chin thoughtfully.

Wolfram turned around and placed his hands squarely on his hips. "Hmph. He deserves what he gets, if you ask me. Let him suffer for a couple of weeks. He's too touchy-feely with you anyway."

"Wolf..." Yuuri clasped his hands together and gave his fiancé his best puppy-dog look. Wolfram turned his head stubbornly, but it only took one sideways glance before he slumped in defeat. "...Fine," he muttered. "But you owe me big time."

"Anything you want," Yuuri chirped, then grabbed Wolfram's hand and dragged him towards Günter's study.

* * *

"ABSOLUTELY NOT." 

Yuuri sighed from his position outside the door. He didn't want to cross the threshold and cause Günter any pain. He cupped his hands around his mouth and spoke loudly. "Come on, do you want to be stuck in that thing until Gwendel gets back?"

"Your Majesty! I am _not_ letting Wolfram kiss me. That selfish, arrogant, childish..."

"...Beautiful..." Yuuri reminded him helpfully.

"Beautiful... no! That's not the point here!"

"Come on. It'll only take a minute. Aren't you getting used to this by now? And you had better destroy that thing afterwards. I mean it this time." He gave the older man his best Maou look before turning to drag Wolfram into the room. He nudged the boy over the threshold with a gentle push. "Go on, then."

Wolfram growled and advanced towards Günter slowly. He closed his eyes, a fine line of irritation appearing on his forehead. He bent down, took a deep breath, and touched his lips lightly to the jewel on the accursed crown. There was an all-too-familiar flash of light, and Günter lifted it off of his head slowly. He held it sheepishly out to Wolfram, who snatched it out of his grasp and whirled on his heels.

"Good work, Wolfram! I told you that - wait - what are you doing?"

Wolfram marched right over to Yuuri with a steely expression on his face. He grabbed a fistful of black uniform with one hand and slammed the Shin Makoku equivalent of mistletoe onto his fiancé's head with the other. The young king cried out sharply but was instantly silenced by a deep and aggressive kiss from Wolfram. Günter wailed and moaned incoherently while Yuuri murmured sounds of protest against the fairer boy's lips. Wolfram being Wolfram, he held on stubbornly for as long as possible before breaking away, panting, for air. The crown lifted easily off of Yuuri's head, and he turned and tossed it to Günter.

"Melt the damn thing down," he said breathlessly, his cheeks still somewhat flushed and not a small amount of satisfaction shining in his eyes. He turned back to Yuuri. "Well, see you around, Yuuri."

Yuuri blinked numbly as Wolfram pushed past him. "W-Wait!" he finally said, finding his voice. "W-What was that all about!" He made to follow the fairer boy insistently.

Wolfram chuckled and looked over his shoulder. "I said you owed me one. What did you think I was talking about?"

Yuuri's eyes narrowed in irritation. "Do I look like I need a kiss from a prince?" he demanded.

"Honestly?" The other boy smirked suggestively. "Always."

Yuuri could only stand and blush furiously as he watched his fiancé walk away, chuckling softly, down the hall.


	15. Teruteru bouzu

**15. Teruteru-bouzu**

(A/N: A teruteru-bouzu is a charm for luck and good weather made by children out of tissue paper. It usually looks like a little white ghost - imagine a marble wrapped in a tissue with a rubber band tied at the 'neck'. In the story, I sort of added another meaning of granting a wish - I don't think that's really part of the tradition, but maybe it's different in Shin Makoku.)

"Older brother!"

Conrad turned and smiled when his eyes met the shining face of his fair younger brother. The boy was running towards him with a bright smile, and Conrad had to resist the urge to bend down and pat his head like a puppy dog. He'd been away for months on a military exercise, and he was surprised at how fast Wolfram was growing up, even though his pure Mazoku blood was making the process somewhat slower than he was accustomed to.

He knelt and held out his arms to draw the small boy into a friendly hug. "Wolfram," he said warmly. "You're getting so big!" He pulled back to arm length to inspect his brother. "And stronger," he mused. "Have you been practicing?"

"Yuh-huh!" Wolfram bobbed his head. "And look what I learned to do!" He held out his little hands and furrowed his brow in concentration. After a moment, a tiny spark of fire appeared and bobbed up and down over his palms. He looked up at Conrad proudly.

"That's impressive!" the young man said honestly, chuckling slightly as he pulled away. "Be careful with that though. Magic fire is very difficult to put out, you know."

Wolfram wrinkled his nose and clapped his hands together, extinguishing the spark. "I know, I know," he said. "Isn't it cool though?"

Conrad grinned. "Very. Or rather, hot?"

"Ewww, bad joke," the younger boy complained.

Conrad laughed and straightened to a standing position. "My apologies. Shall we go visit mother?" He took one of Wolfram's hands in his own, and they walked leisurely back to the castle, winding through the flower gardens that they used to play in so often. Conrad felt a twinge of regret in his heart that his duties as a soldier were taking him away from his family. He'd always been like a father to Wolfram, thanks to their mother's duties as the Maou, and now that he was absent so much of the time he knew that the two of them were slowly growing apart.

And it was only a matter of time before he would find out about Conrad's true heritage... he sighed softly. Little Wolfram looked up in concern. "What's the matter, big brother?"

"Nothing, Wolf," he said with a smile. "I was just taking in the fresh air. It's a great day to walk in the gardens, don't you think?"

The boy wrinkled his nose. "You sound like an old man."

Conrad chuckled. "Sorry. I feel like one sometimes. Military life is hard." He cocked an eyebrow. "You still sure you want to be a soldier?"

Wolfram beamed. "Yuh-huh! I wanna be like Conrad!" He waved his free hand in mock swashbuckling movements. "Then we can play with real swords! And you can show me your magic!"

"Ah," Conrad hesitated, then nodded slowly. "Yeah. Sounds good."

They walked in silence for a little while, until the walls of the castle drew close enough that Conrad could see a row of tiny white dolls hanging from one of the balconies. He tugged Wolfram's hand and pointed up at them. "What are those?" he asked curiously.

"They're little ghosts!" the boy responded. "I made them! Gwen taught me how. He says they'll look out for us and bring good weather and grant people's wishes." The row of tissue-paper dolls waved gently in the breeze.

Conrad smiled gently. _I wonder where he got that idea_, he wondered. "Why, that's wonderful! How many is that? Five?"

"Yeah! I made one for you and Mother and Gwen and Uncle Stoffel and me, of course."

"Oh? Do we all get wishes then?"

"I'unno. I made one, though."

Conrad looked down. "You did? What'd you wish for?"

The little boy's fair skin flushed prettily and he averted his eyes. "It's dumb," he muttered.

"Oh, now I'm curious," Conrad chuckled. "Don't make me tickle it out of you!"

Wolfram's eyes widened. "Okay, okay!" He shuffled his feet nervously. "Promise not to make fun of me?"

"I promise."

"Okay then... I wished for someone to love."

Conrad cocked an eyebrow curiously. "Oh really?" _Is it that time already?_ he wondered to himself. _But he still looks so young..._ "What kind of person do you want to love?"

"I'unno... someone like in the fairy tales."

"A fair princess, you mean?"

Wolfram wrinkled his nose. "Ew, a girl?"

_I see. That does explain some things._ Conrad chuckled. "A prince, then?"

The boy tilted his head thoughtfully. "No, not really... more like... a hero." He looked up at his brother. "You know, someone really brave and good. Who uses magic and stuff to save people and fight bad guys." His eyes shone dreamily. "Do you think I'll meet someone like that?"

Conrad tilted his head and smiled warmly. "Well, you wished for it, right? Then I'm sure it will come true someday."

* * *

Many years later, Conrad stood by his bedroom window, gazing out into a sunset and wandering in reminiscence. A knock on his door jerked him out of the memory, and he shook his head slightly. "Come in," he called. 

Oddly enough, it was Wolfram who came in. "Wolfram," he said, making no attempt to hide his surprise. "What brings you here?" When was the last time you came to my room?

The boy hesitated at the door, as if he weren't sure if he should stay or go. Eventually he took a step into the room and closed the door behind him. "I, uh... I wanted to..." he trailed off, his emerald eyes burning holes into the floor. Conrad tilted his head curiously.

"Did you have something you wanted to ask me?"

"Ah, yeah, that's it," Wolfram said, looking up with a nervous smile. "You can probably guess..."

Conrad smiled. "Probably."

Wolfram looked blankly at him for a moment, then furrowed his brow in agitation. "You're going to make me say it, aren't you?"

"It's more fun that way."

Wolfram sighed. "It's about... well, Yuuri..."

The older man nodded knowingly. He spent almost every waking moment with the two boys. It wasn't hard for him to see that his little brother was falling in love. He'd been watching it happen for a long time now.

"Do you think that he..." Wolfram trailed off, apparently lost for words. He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head in disgust. "Ah, I don't even know. Just forget it."

"Yuuri's a hero, right?" Conrad asked gently, crossing his arms and tilting his head to one side.

Wolfram looked back at him with wide eyes. "You... remember that?"

Conrad smiled. "I remember everything about growing up with you, Wolf."

The boy blinked, then flushed and turned his head quickly to the side. "...Yeah," he said after a long pause. "He is."

"And what are you, Wolfram?"

That caused the boy to raise his head and look sidelong at his brother. "I am... his knight..." he said softly.

Conrad crossed the room then, closing the distance between them. He placed one hand on his brother's shoulder, halfway expecting the boy to tear away in disgust. But he didn't. "And how do those stories always end?"

"...Happily ever after?"

"That's right."

Wolfram sighed. "Those are fairy stories, Weller. This is real life."

Conrad tilted his head. "Is it really so different?"

"Of course it is. This one doesn't have an ending yet."

He smiled. "Then write one."

Wolfram looked up at him, his brilliant green eyes shining with sudden understanding. He smiled faintly, and Conrad thought he could see grateful tears welling up in the corners of his eyes. The moment passed swiftly, however, and soon enough Wolfram was his usual self again, complete with a high airs and a haughty expression. Conrad released his grip on the boy's shoulder.

"You're so hard to talk to sometimes," Wolfram complained loudly. He turned to leave, then paused to look over his shoulder. His expression softened. "But... thank you," he murmured, before retreating from the room.

Conrad watched him go and stood in the center of his room alone, lost in thought. After several minutes had passed, he turned and went over to his desk, where he pulled open the very bottom drawer. He reached inside and drew out two objects that were very precious to him - a rubber duck toy, and a small paper ghost, its careful folds twisted out of place by exposure to the wind. He placed both objects on the desk and sank into his chair, gazing at them thoughtfully. The sun had all but set, and saturated beams of pink and orange light spilled into his room through the window. Long shadows skittered across the surface of the desk when he reached out to take the paper ghost into his hands.

"Wolfram," he murmured softly, cradling the delicate item as though it were a priceless treasure.

"...I know what I'm going to wish for."


	16. Grasp Tightly in Your Hand

**16. Grasp Tightly in Your Hand**

(A/N: In this story, the text in italics takes place in a dream.)

"How is he?"

Gisela closed the doors to the royal quarters quietly behind her. "I fear for the worst, Your Excellence," she murmured, turning to look up at the tall Mazoku man before her. She shook her head wearily. "I've done everything I can for him. That blow to the head would have probably killed most people. As it is, even Sir Wolfram will have a very difficult road to recovery." She squeezed her eyes shut and rubbed the bridge of her nose, feeling all her years in the aches in her shoulders and back. Expending as much maryoku as she had had taken a heavy toll on her, and that was just to keep the poor boy alive. "...If he ever wakes up," she added softly.

Outwardly, Gwendel hardly reacted. He simply inclined his head slightly, but in that small gesture Gisela knew he too feared for the worst. "Is Yuuri with him?" he asked, after a moment of silence.

"Yes. I told him to get some rest, but he insisted on staying. I think he feels... responsible somehow." She frowned. "I hope he isn't punishing himself for what happened."

Gwendel shook his head. "Wolfram was... is a trained soldier. He was prepared to give his life for his king. I'm sure His Majesty understands that." He bowed slightly to Gisela. "Thank you for your hard work." With that, he turned and retreated down the hall, long hair and coattails trailing behind him. Gisela watched him go before heading to her own quarters, limping ever so slightly as she walked.

* * *

Yuuri was exhausted. After Gisela left, he'd spent the better part of an hour struggling with a giant wing chair that had been collecting dust in the corner of their room for as long as he could remember. Now that he actually needed the damn thing, he could barely get it out of the deep ruts it left in the rug, and he probably ruined at least three priceless objects in the process of dragging it awkwardly across the room. 

"Gah," he panted, finally getting the plush oak and velvet monster into position beside the bed. He plopped into it with a labored sigh. "That was more of an ordeal than I expected," he said to Wolfram's sleeping form. "I'm sure you'll call me all sorts of things when you wake up, right? But I'll just make you move the chair back." He tried to laugh, but it died in his throat and came out sounding more like a choked cough.

He curled up in the chair, hugging his knees to his chest. It really wasn't so bad. Sure, he'd been kicked out of his bed for the night, but he was used to that. He'd just sleep in the chair, and in the morning Wolfram would wake him up with a cross expression and demand to know why he hadn't come to bed.

He rested his chin on his knees and watched the boy's chest rise and fall evenly, his face dimly illuminated and peaceful in the gentle moonlight. Eventually, his eyelids grew heavy and his head nodded to one side, pulling him down into a heavy, dreamless sleep.

* * *

_  
Wolfram found himself alone on a small island. He got to his feet and looked out over a deep blue sea, the surface of which was dotted with countless multicolored flowers. They waved and bobbed gently with the water, illuminated by an ocean of stars that spanned the sky overhead. He inhaled sharply, surprised at once by the beauty and serenity of the scene, and at the same time how utterly impossible and ridiculous it was. _

_"Where am I?" he thought, and realized a moment later that he had said it out loud. "What?" he heard himself say, just as the thought passed through his head. The ocean stirred anxiously around him. "Why can I hear my thoughts out loud...? What is this place?" _

_He shook his head from side to side. "I must be dreaming. That's what this is." A salty breeze stirred and tousled his long bangs. "Why am I sleeping? Wasn't I with someone...? I remember... it was important..." _

_Wolfram furrowed his brow and sat down heavily in the white sand. "There was something I was supposed to be doing..." _

_He sat and thought for a long while, trying desperately to remember, but with each moment that passed the feeling of urgency grew more distant, leeched away by the gentle ebb and flow of the tide._

* * *

Yuuri awoke with a painful crick in his neck and the feeling that he had been set upon by a large group of burly thugs. He moaned and unfolded his limbs stiffly, figuring in his half-asleep haze that he'd been kicked off the bed by Wolfram again. He got to his feet and was about to say something cross when he realized that the boy was still asleep. 

He placed his hands tentatively on the edge of the bed, careful not to disturb the blankets that Gisela had arranged around Wolfram. _He should be comfortable_, she had said, with a curiously sad expression. Yuuri leaned forward a little to peer into Wolfram's serene face. "Wolf," he said experimentally. When that drew no reaction, he poked the boy firmly in the shoulder. "Hey, Wolf, get up." Still nothing. "Come on, get up or I'm going to go take a bath with Yozak and his 'delicate' friends."

The fairer boy simply continued to dream, his breath coming and going in shallow, even draws, like the steady back and forth motion of the sea. Something sick bubbled up inside Yuuri and sent chills across the back of his neck. "I should get Gisela," he said vaguely, backing away from the bed. "She'll help you get better."

He didn't believe the things he was saying, but somehow it helped to say them anyway.

* * *

_  
There didn't seem to be time in the place Wolfram now existed. _

_He had noticed this after watching the moon carefully for what felt like a very long interval, and coming to the conclusion that it was neither moving nor changing. It was simply a great white smile cut into the sky that continued to leer at him oppressively. _

_He shivered and rubbed his arms. He was getting colder. At first the weather had been temperate, but as time passed, or didn't pass - rather, as he got more bored - it had grown slowly but steadily colder, until he felt possessed by a damp and unpleasant chill. _

_The sea stirred and lapped at the edges of his little island. Tiny eddies of irritation appeared as Wolfram shifted restlessly. He stretched his legs as much as he could, but he was loathe to even go near the water's edge. Flowers may dance across the surface of the shining sea, but a lurking fear nagged at the edges of his perception, and kept him far away from those shadowed depths._

* * *

Several days had passed. 

Yuuri sat in the plush wing chair that he now spent more time in than out of. He was sitting cross-legged and had a leather-bound book open in his lap. With one finger on the page and his brow furrowed in concentration, he made his way slowly through the simple Mazokuese that comprised Anissina's latest children's book. Even with all the pictures, he was having a hard time of it.

"And then... the great monster... ummm..." he trailed off. "Well, actually, I can't read this next bit either, but if you just look at the picture here..." He held up the book hopefully. "It's really cool, it looks like some kind of griffon, you know? Do you guys have those here?" Wolfram didn't turn his head to look, or respond with some glib comment about how Yuuri really ought to be able to read by now, or do anything different than he had done since the night of the accident.

Still, Yuuri stubbornly held the book open until his arms grew tired and he had to pull it back to his lap.

"Well," he said quietly, his eyes falling. "I think the next thing that happens is..."

* * *

_  
He'd started to hear voices. Not just his own thoughts echoing around the domed sky, but those of other people. Sometimes he tried to talk to them, but they never talked back. Whoever was out there, they didn't seem interested in Wolfram at all, only in carrying out their own disembodied conversations with invisible partners. _

_Well, with one exception. _

_He was busy ignoring a deep baritone voice droning about politics and strategy when the Voice first addressed him directly. While the others would drift around him, sometimes coming from several different directions at once, this one hovered behind him and spoke directly into his ear. _

_"Morning, Wolfram," it said, causing him to jerk his head up in alarm. He normally didn't move much - didn't really feel the need to, but the nearness of the Voice was disconcerting. _

_"Who's there?" he thought, the waves of the surrounding sea stirring restlessly. _

_"Can you hear me?" _

_"Of course I can," he huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "You're right behind me." _

_"Greta wanted me to tell you good morning." _

_"Greta...?" The word seemed to hang in the air. Wolfram shook his head. "I know that name. I do, I know that name. Is that someone you know too?" He got to his knees, the pale white sand of the beach whispering with his movement. _

_The Voice sighed and a warm breeze feathered across his face. "She misses you, Wolf." _

_"Greta does? Wait... tell me about Greta..." _

_"...I miss you too." _

_Then, as suddenly as it had come, the presence faded. Wolfram reached out for it, swiping fruitlessly at empty air. "No," he sobbed. "Come back, I want to talk to someone! Come back..." He sank back into the sand. "Please..."_

* * *

Yuuri wouldn't let her see him. 

He kept telling his adopted daughter that Wolfram would wake up soon, and then he'd read her all the stories she wanted, even the hard ones that she didn't quite understand yet. Sometimes he heard her pacing back and forth in the corridor outside of their room, her little feet shuffling restlessly on the stone floor. But he wouldn't let her in. He didn't want her to see Wolfram like this.

He didn't want her to see himself like this, either.

He kept going over the incident in his head. The expedition. The sudden shaking. The rockslide. They all thought it was some kind of magical attack, but Gwendel had reported today that after further investigation they had concluded it was simply a geological phenomenon. Just a plain old run-of-the-mill earthquake.

Yuuri ran one hand through his hair. "Why couldn't you have just let the rocks hit me?" he demanded, a harsh edge in his voice. "I could have taken it. I would have been fine." He stood up and placed his hands firmly on the bed, leaning over Wolfram's sleeping form. "I wouldn't be lying in that bed like some... vegetable! Since when are you such a wimp, Wolfram!" Angry tears streamed down his face and dotted the coverlet with tiny wet circles. "Why are you... such a wimp..."

* * *

_  
"I am not a wimp!" Wolfram cried out. "Stop saying that!" _

_The wind howled around him and the sea was wild with foamy waves and eddies. Dark clouds had blotted out the stars and heavy rain poured down around him. His hair whipped back and forth across his face, and he had to narrow his eyes to see anything at all. It was the first time his tranquil seascape had been anything but that, and he huddled down as close to the ground as he could get, terrified by the disturbance. _

_When the Voice did not reply, he wrapped his arms around his knees and rocked back and forth slowly. "I'm scared..." he thought timidly. "Why are you doing this to me...?" _

_The tempest around him slowed ever so slightly and the Voice murmured softly in his ear. "Why won't you wake up?" it said in a wavering tone, before receding again. _

_Wolfram just looked up at the stormy sky, his face a mask of confusion and loss._

* * *

There was a knock at the door. Yuuri looked up from his paperwork, which he had been tending to on a lapboard in his now-familiar wing chair. "Come in," he called out. 

The door opened and Conrad stepped in. "Your Majesty," he said, inclining his head slightly.

Yuuri waved him over. "I'm glad you're here. I wanted to ask you about this sentence here -"

Conrad shook his head. "I came here to talk," he said gently. He approached Yuuri and sat on the edge of the bed, turning his head to gaze down at Wolfram. The boy had grown thinner, his skin pale and his hair limp around his face. He frowned.

"I know what you're going to say," Yuuri said. "You want me to leave him, right?"

"...You don't have to do that. But I am starting to worry about you. Almost as much as I'm worried about him."

Yuuri smiled weakly. "It's not that bad. I can do most of my work in here. And sure, I'm not adventuring, but maybe I shouldn't... anymore..." He bit his lip. "I don't want to put anyone in danger. I don't want to do that ever again."

Conrad sighed. "What happened was not your fault, Yuuri... it was just bad luck."

"Bad luck seems to follow me everywhere, doesn't it?"

He smiled slightly. "Maybe so. But doesn't it always work out in the end?"

Yuuri looked up at him, his dark eyes shimmering. "Yeah... but that's why I have to stay here with Wolfram. If I leave him..." He shook his head. "I don't know what he's dreaming about, or if he's even dreaming at all, but someone has to stay with him. Help him keep it together. Until he's ready to come home."

Conrad looked at the boy for a long time before leaning forward to place a hand gently on his knee. "Yuuri..." he said softly. "Thank you."

Yuuri smiled and nodded his head. "I'll bring your little brother back, Conrad. I promise."

* * *

_  
There was no doubt about it. The island was getting smaller. _

_Wolfram had first noticed when he felt the cold seawater licking at his toes. He drew his feet in sharply, assuming he'd simply gotten too close to the edge, but a quick survey revealed that the water had drawn closer on all sides. He could now only sit upright without getting wet. He shivered and wrapped his arms around himself, trying to will away the dire cold that seemed to permeate his entire body. _

_He gazed out at the horizon, watching thousands of tiny colored flowers bobbing up and down in a steady, even motion. It was hard for him to feel alarmed in this place. He had begun to accept what was happening to him - that the water would overtake him, and that he would become just another one of those flowers, to join the multitudes that drifted endlessly on the deep blue sea. It wouldn't be so bad. At least it was a peaceful existence, and he was starting to feel very, very tired. _

_He closed his eyes and waited patiently for oblivion._

* * *

"Wolfram? Wolfram!" 

Yuuri's eyes widened in alarm. His fiancé's slow, even breathing had hitched suddenly, and was now far more irregular. He crawled forward onto the bed and pressed a hand against Wolfram's face. "You're so cold," he whispered. "Come on Wolf, hang in there!"

He looked about frantically. He could run and get Gisela, but he was loathe to leave Wolfram like this - and besides that, she had been very clear about the fact that magic couldn't help him anymore. The battle was in his own head now. _He has to want to come back,_ she had said.

Yuuri blinked back tears. He was losing Wolfram. After all this time, the boy was finally giving up. He gave a sharp, strangled cry of frustration. "Don't you want to come back?" he demanded, his voice thick in his throat. He leaned down and gathered the frail boy into his arms, stretching out to lay alongside of him. "I know it's cold where you are, but... I can keep you warm... Wolf..." He started to cry then, deep, soul-wracking sobs muffled against Wolfram's shoulder. "Don't leave me here alone..."

He found one of Wolfram's limp hands with his own, and threaded his fingers through the other boy's tightly. "Do you know why I let you follow me everywhere?" he whispered. "Think about that before you leave me..."

* * *

_It was almost over. _

_The sea had surged around him and was now almost up to his neck, his limbs so numb he could hardly even tread water. He gasped and gurgled, struggling to keep his head above the surface, but he knew it was only a matter of time. _

_Then the Voice returned. _

_He shouted out to it, sometimes unable to hear it clearly over the roar of the waves. He flailed frantically with the last bit of his energy to lift up his head enough to hear what it had to say. _

_"Don't leave me here alone..." _

_"But -" Wolfram sputtered. "I'm the one who's alone -!" A particularly large wave broke and splashed over his head, and suddenly he was completely immersed in the water. His eyes burned as he searched frantically for the surface, but he couldn't tell which direction he should swim in, as they all looked the same. _

_Reality sunk in. It was over. His eyes closed slowly, and he let himself go, drawn down, or in, or out, by the insistent currents of the sea. _

_Just then, something impossible happened. _

_His body wrenched as something caught his hand and pulled him up out of the water. He gasped desperately as his head broke the surface, salty tears blinking out of his reddened eyes. He continued to lift out of the water, supported by some invisible force clinging to his hand. "Who... what..." he murmured numbly, squinting in the sudden light. _

_The light. _

_His eyes widened when he realized that far away on the horizon, the sun was rising. Long beams of light skipped across the surface of the water and raced towards him. In their wake, the sea transformed before his eyes to a brilliant green meadow, covered in blooming flowers of every color. "Impossible..." he breathed, as the roaring sea, the stars, and the moon disappeared, leaving him dangling a few feet over a blissfully solid surface. He was lowered gently onto his feet, which sank ever so slightly into the soft grass and spongy earth. The sun's rays beat down on him, and he turned his face up to the clear blue sky, the beginnings of a smile touching his lips. _

_He felt warm again. And now he knew which direction was home. _

_He bent down and picked up a flower, a tiny daisy with pink and yellow petals. He clutched it in his hand and started to walk, one foot in front of the other, towards the sun._

* * *

At some point, Yuuri had fallen asleep. It was a faint stirring beneath his head that woke him. 

"...Wolf?" he murmured, blinking slowly and pulling himself into a sitting position. "Is that you?"

Wolfram turned to face Yuuri, his emerald eyes fluttering open. "Yuuri...?" he whispered, his voice cracking in his dry throat. His gaze darted down to his hand, which the other boy was still clutching tightly in his own.

"Wolfram!" Yuuri exclaimed, his heart overflowing with joy. "You're awake!"

Wolfram smiled faintly before a look of confusion passed over his face. "I feel like hell," he rasped. "What happened?"

"You slept..." Yuuri murmured, pushing an errant lock of hair back out of Wolfram's eyes. "I thought you would never wake up."

"Oh." Wolfram tried to sit up, but just groaned and felt back onto the bed. "Wimp. You could have just woken me up, you know."

Yuuri smiled, tears of joy glistening in his eyes. "I did," he said softly, squeezing Wolfram's captive hand for emphasis.

Wolfram sighed, his eyes fluttering closed. "You know, I had the strangest dream..."

"Really?" Yuuri arranged some pillows and settled in next to Wolfram, leaning his head on the other boy's shoulder as though it were a lazy morning after a sleepover. "Tell me all about it."


	17. Choking Back Tears

**17. Choking Back Tears**

It had been a very big day.

Yuuri sat back in his chair and stretched, his feet and legs sore from hours of dancing. The party was still whirling around him, but he had groped his way back to the table so that he could get some rest and a much-needed drink of water. He sighed happily into his cup.

"Long day?" an amused voice asked from somewhere behind him.

He turned and grinned. "Conrad."

The older man smiled back and joined him at the table. "You seem happy."

"Well, it's not every day a man gets to watch his daughter get married."

Conrad chuckled. "True enough. She looks lovely, doesn't she?" Both men turned their attention to the dance floor, where Greta was twirling gracefully with her new husband, a tall half-Mazoku man by the name of Jens. White and pink ribbons were woven into her hair, the long twisted ends tumbling down her back and waving gently as she danced. Yuuri nodded wistfully.

"I can't believe how fast she grew up." He looked down thoughtfully. "I feel a bit weird about it, actually. I barely look older than she does."

"Don't worry, Your Majesty. People here are accustomed to such things." Conrad reached for an abandoned wine cup. "It's all a part of life between humans and Mazoku. Your efforts to unite the world have put those differences behind us." He smiled warmly. "Even if it is a bit bittersweet."

Yuuri look back at Conrad, his expression softening. "You're right. I should just be grateful for the time that I do get to share with her." He rested one arm on the table and toyed with a napkin. "Fatherhood is hard," he pouted.

Conrad laughed. "If you say so."

"I'm going to... miss her." Yuuri murmured, turning his gaze back to his daughter. She had stopped dancing and seemed to be chatting with a small group of people. Her cheeks were flushed prettily from the excitement and the wine, and at some point she had taken off her shoes. Yuuri chuckled. "She always hated heels."

Conrad finished off his wine and stood up from the table. His eyes slid past Yuuri to settle on another friendly face. He waved jovially, then bowed to excuse himself. "I think I'll let you two have this moment," he said with a wink as he disappeared into the crowd. Yuuri gave him a curious look before turning to see Wolfram approaching the table.

He stood fluidly and held out his hand. Wolfram took it gratefully and leaned in to kiss his cheek. "You look exhausted," he said, a concerned note in his voice.

Yuuri smiled and nudged his lover gently. "I do? You look about ready to pass out yourself. I guess it's been a long day, huh?"

Wolfram nodded and rolled his shoulders stiffly. "The party doesn't look like it's even slowing down," he grumbled. "And if I have to dance with one more fawning human girl, I swear..."

Yuuri laughed. "Dancing with human girls?" He turned and gave Wolfram a mock pout. "Cheater."

"Oh, like you're one to talk."

"I'm-! Now wait, you're not starting up with that again, are you?"

"Daddies, are you bickering again?" The two men turned and found themselves peering into their daughter's smiling face. "Can't you two at least try to get along for my wedding day?" She put her hands on her hips sternly.

"Yes, princess," they said simultaneously, which drew a laugh from Greta and embarrassed looks from both of them.

"Now which one of you handsome men is going to dance with me?" she asked, stepping between them and threading her arms through theirs.

They both opened their mouths to volunteer the other, but Wolfram was quicker. "Yuuri will," he said hastily, extracting himself and nudging them towards the dance floor. "I'll sit this one out, thanks."

Yuuri shot him an exasperated look, but allowed himself to be dragged back into the crowd by his enthusiastic daughter. "It's okay," she said conspiratorially, once they were out of range of Wolfram. "I'll get him later."

"And make sure to step on his feet a lot while you're at it, okay?" Yuuri grinned and took her by the hand, easily spinning her into his arms. "Shall we?"

She nodded and the two of them took off into an easy two-step. Though Yuuri was indeed exhausted, he managed to muster the energy for this last dance with his daughter. Greta was a magnificent dancer, probably thanks to Wolfram's lessons, and it took everything he had just to keep up with her. When the music changed, he placed a hand on her shoulder and drew her into a slower pace.

"Tired already? You're getting old," she laughed, but happily complied, easing into a simple back-and-forth pattern.

Yuuri smiled warmly. "I'd have more stamina if I hadn't been up all night from nervous anxiety."

Greta flushed. "Why were you nervous?"

"Because I had to give my daughter away today," he replied. "And I'm going to miss her very much."

She smiled prettily. "I won't be far away at all, you know. You can see me any time."

"I know." He clutched her hand tightly and looked down into her face. She looks so happy, he thought, and he suddenly felt silly and selfish for wanting her to stay with him. His feet stilled and he wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug.

"Dad? What's wrong?" she asked, her voice muffled against his shoulder.

"Nothing, princess," he whispered, blinking back tears. He pulled back and beamed down at her. "I'm just proud of you. You have a great life ahead of you."

She smiled back. "I know," she said. "And I promise I won't forget that."

Just then, Jens approached from the side. He greeted Yuuri with a deferential bow, which was met with a scoff and a big bear hug. "You don't have to bow to me," he insisted, despite the man's obvious discomfort with the idea. "I'm your dad now!"

Greta smirked and slipped her hand into her husband's. "See? I told you he was difficult," she said. Yuuri gave her a stern look and she shook her head, laughing lightly. "Just kidding, dad. I'm going to go dance with Jens, okay?" She leaned forward and planted a kiss on his cheek. "Go take care of your own husband before he falls asleep at the table."

Yuuri turned to see that Wolfram had slumped in his chair, his chin nodding closer and closer to his chest. He sighed. "Well, I guess he was up all night too," he said.

"Nervousness?" Greta asked.

"Well... not exactly... generally, we're either both asleep or both awake, if you catch my meaning." He grinned devilishly.

"Dad!" she exclaimed, her nose wrinkling. "Too much information!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he said, laughing. "Couldn't resist." He turned back toward Wolfram. "I guess I'll go get the loafer up then. Enjoy your party, sweetheart." He gave her a quick hug and patted Jens on the back before slipping back to the table.

"Hey Wolf," he murmured, nudging the man gently.

Wolfram raised his head and blinked slowly. "Did I fall asleep?"

Yuuri smiled. "Probably."

Wolfram shook his head. "Sorry. I must have been really out of it." He stretched. "Can we sneak out yet?"

"Oh no. You have to serve your time too." Yuuri looked pointedly at Greta. "She's going to want a dance from her other father."

A look of annoyance passed over Wolfram's face, but it quickly melted into a warm smile. "I guess you're right. I don't want to miss this."

"No," Yuuri agreed, taking Wolfram's hand into his own. "You don't."

They sat together that way for some time, watching their daughter in her happiest moments. By the time she came back for Wolfram, Yuuri's eyes were full of tears again. But this time, he didn't try to hold them back. He just watched the man he loved and the woman they had raised dance like angels around the crowded room, his cheeks wet and salty and his heart absolutely full of joy.


	18. Engagement Ring

**18. Engagement Ring**

(A/N: This is a continuation of the story started in 1. "Marriage Proposal" and continued in 8. "The Radiance of the Sun" and 11. "I'll Protect You.")

_I'll protect you. I'll always protect you._

Those had been his wedding vows. That's what he had promised on the day they got married. No matter what happened, Yuuri was his most important responsibility.

Now, as he tore through the dark forest, sword bared and clothes nearly ripped to tatters, one thing kept running through Wolfram's head. Where had he gone wrong?

Where had he gone wrong?

* * *

_(The previous day)_

"Is this it?"

"Yeah, the honeymoon suite. Look." Wolfram unlocked the door and pushed it open. Yuuri walked in and threw his satchel down on the bed.

"Not bad," he remarked, looking around the small room. "It's cozy. What gave you the idea to come here?"

"Gisela suggested it," Wolfram responded, dragging a much larger suitcase behind him. He set it on the ground and closed the door behind him, after giving a pointed look to the cadre of guards in the hall.

"They kind of ruin the atmosphere, don't they?" Yuuri asked, wrinkling his nose.

"It was a necessary precaution," Wolfram said matter-of-factly. "You know that."

The young king flopped back on the bed and stretched languidly. "I guess," he sighed. He lifted his head up to grin at Wolfram. "I'd rather it was just us, though."

Wolfram looked down at Yuuri through half-lidded eyes, a faint smile settled on his face. "If that's what you wanted, we could have just stayed at the castle, Your Majesty..." He advanced on his new husband and sat down on the bed beside him.

"But I wanted to get away from everything for a few days!"

Wolfram smirked. "Then we bring guards. Even I can't look out for your wimpy butt all the time."

Yuuri turned onto his side and propped his head up on one hand. "Always so worried about my protection," he teased.

"It's my job, isn't it?"

The boy king smiled then, amusement shining in his dark eyes. He looked up at Wolfram through his long bangs. "Oh? As a soldier or as a married man?"

It took Wolfram a moment to respond, driven to distraction as he was by Yuuri's provocative expression. "I... uh... both." He leaned down over the other boy and placed a chaste kiss on his forehead. "Now stop being cute."

Yuuri pouted and let his head fall back to the bed. "Cute wasn't what I was going for."

Wolfram's eyes narrowed and his breath started to come in significantly more frequent intervals. "Stop teasing, then."

Yuuri laughed, his shoulders shaking gently. He sat up and looked at Wolfram with an expression of such open affection that it brought a light flush to his cheeks. "What makes you think I'm teasing?" he purred, sliding one arm around his husband's waist.

Wolfram smiled, his long lashes fluttering prettily over his eyes. "Force of habit?"

"Wolf," Yuuri murmured, nuzzling into the crook of the of the other boy's neck. "I'm trying to get you into bed here. I didn't think you would make it this difficult for me."

Wolfram's eyes widened. "You mean... now? In the middle of the afternoon?"

Yuuri blinked once, then fell backwards on the bed, clutching his stomach and howling with laughter. "The middle of the afternoon!" he gasped. "So genteel! Ah -" he wiped his eyes, his breath still hitching. "It's a good thing one of us wasn't raised as nobility..."

"I can't help it!" Wolfram huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "Besides which, you are nobility. You're better than nobility - you're royalty. Shouldn't you act like a king once in a while?"

Yuuri smiled and shook his head. "Fine. I'm royalty. As far as I'm concerned, that means we do it in the middle of the afternoon." He tilted his head to one side invitingly, looking up into Wolfram's open stare. "Now get over here."

He only had to ask once.

* * *

As he tore through the forest, branches whipping at his face, heavy footfalls crunching in the dried undergrowth behind him, Wolfram tried to comprehend how he'd gone from the happiest moment of his life to the worst. They'd spent hours locked in that room, young newlyweds free for the first time to discover all the best parts of each other. They'd only left to find something for dinner, and he'd been so drunk on his blushing infatuation that he hadn't noticed the guards were absent. He didn't even see their assailants until it was too late. 

Now all he could remember was a shadowed figure and a sudden sharp, stabbing pain in his shoulder. He'd fallen to his knees, groping for his sword, and when he looked up Yuuri was already gone. Sick comprehension had washed over him, and he'd immediately vomited, from pain or disgust or maybe both.

The inn Gisela had recommended was located at the edge of a remote human town inside the Bielefeld lands. The town was known for a set of mineral baths that were a popular tourist attraction, but also had a thriving logging industry from the nearby forest. Wolfram had figured it to be a safe place even for the Maou to visit - out of the way, deep inside Mazoku lands, and he could even use his family's guards.

All of this raced through his head as he stumbled to his feet, gritting his teeth to ignore the wound in his shoulder. _The guards were gone. No one even knew we were here, except for a handful of people inside the castle. People we trust._ He scanned the ground for any signs of their attackers, nearly crying out in relief when he spotted a set of footprints in the soft earth. He drew his sword and summoned a small fireball to light his way, then set off after the faint trail.

He was able to follow it for quite some time, despite the fact that it led him into the forest. The kidnappers didn't seem very interested in covering their tracks, a fact that he may have found suspicious if he had been thinking more clearly. As it was, the awareness that he was walking right into a trap did not come to him until he saw a dozen dark, robed figures emerge from the trees around him.

He halted, immediately extinguishing the fire and gripping his sword tightly in both hands. He made a mental schematic of the location of each enemy, holding it in his memory so that he could fight them in the dark if need be.

"What do you want?" he growled. "Tell me what you did with Yuuri!"

He heard one of the figures step forward. "You must not be allowed to interfere. You will be eliminated."

"Like hell I will -" he started to say, raising his sword to charge, but he was stopped by a sudden glowing all around him. Each of the figures raised their hands in the summoning of a spell. _Mazoku_, he thought in disbelief. That was when it occurred to him that there were exactly as many of them as there had been guards.

He cried out sharply and threw himself sideways just in time to avoid a volley of razor-sharp shards of ice. Several pieces struck him, cutting his face and clothes, but he didn't stop to think about it. Instead, he rolled back onto his feet and took off running, cutting down two members of the circle on his way out. He felt another magical barrage approaching from behind, but a robust fire wall stopped it, as well as bought him some time to get away.

Now here he was, tearing aimlessly through a dark forest, with no sense of where he was and a host of attackers pursuing him. Despite his dire situation, his mind was only on Yuuri. _I have to find him. I have to save him._ They had corrupted his family guards, obtained the help of someone inside the castle - this was a betrayal plot deeper than he could even imagine. He didn't want to think about what danger Yuuri was in at the hands of something so big.

But how was he going to find him, in the midst of all this darkness?

Just then, he heard a great roaring noise and saw a pillar of light shoot up in the distance. He nearly stumbled, fearing for the worst, until he realized that a familiar silhouette had appeared against the sky. "Yuuri," he whispered. The Maou was out - either a very good sign, or a very bad one. He turned towards that light and doubled his pace, his breath hitching painfully in his chest.

At least now he knew where to run.

* * *

It was some time later when Wolfram arrived at the scene. It appeared to be some kind of cave, cut deep into a hillside. The Maou had disappeared, and the darkness that surrounded him seemed to be even deeper than before. He moved silently, having finally lost his pursuers, or maybe they had encountered trouble of their own. At the mouth of the cave, he risked a small fireball, but to his surprise it flickered weakly and sputtered out. He tried again, only to reach the same result. _Is there an anti-magic field here?_ he wondered, holding his sword out in front of him, both to be ready for an attack but also to find solid footing as he advanced into the cave. 

"Yuuri?" he called out tentatively. He listened for a moment but didn't hear anything, not even the shuffling of feet or the soft metallic sound of a sword being drawn. _Are they all gone?_ he thought, placing one foot carefully in front of the other. "Yuuri?" _What did he do? What did they do to him?_

Just then, something sparked and flared in the darkness. Wolfram blinked, shielding his eyes with his hand before they adjusted to the sudden light. The jagged walls of the caves had been illuminated by a cone of shimmering, iridescent yellow glow, which seemed to originate from one point further on down the cave. Wolfram increased his pace to a light jog, now able to see the ground in front of him. "Yuuri?" he called again, louder this time.

As he drew closer to the source of the light, he identified a familiar shape lying unconscious on the ground. "Yuuri!" he cried, falling to his knees and scuffing them badly on the rocky floor. He gathered the boy into his arms, feeling desperately for a pulse. Yuuri's left hand flopped back, sending rays from the brilliant sunstone on his finger skittering across the cave walls. Wolfram smiled through the tears burning in his eyes. "I told you it would help me find you," he whispered.

Yuuri moaned softly and his eyes blinked open. "Wolfram..." he rasped. "You have to... get out of here..."

"I know. We're leaving. Come on, get up." Wolfram threw Yuuri's arm over his shoulder and tried to pull him to his feet.

Yuuri shook his head and pushed roughly at Wolfram, who looked up in surprise. "No," he said, his voice more urgent now. "No, Wolf, you have to get out of here! Now!"

"He doesn't get it, Your Majesty," a quietly sublime voice murmured from behind them. That voice... The hairs on the back of Wolfram's neck bristled, sending a dread chill down his spine. He straightened slowly and turned.

Just as his eyes focused on the figure stepping out of the shadows, a heavy blow to the back of his neck sent Wolfram spinning down into darkness. He fell backwards onto the floor of the cave, and the last thing he saw was Yuuri's face, scuffed and stained with tears. "I'm sorry, Wolfram," he whispered, before everything went black.

(A/N: I will be finishing this story arc in one of the alternate themes. I'm not going to just end it there, I promise!)


	19. Beside Your Beloved

**19. Beside Your Beloved**

"Come on, Wolfram," Yuuri threw over his shoulder, grinning madly as they ran around the makeshift baseball field.

"I don't understand this game," Wolfram panted, finally catching up to his fiancé. "So you hit a ball that everyone wants, but you're not allowed to touch it? All while running around in a circle?"

"It's a diamond, Wolfram," Yuuri corrected, then nodded. "But other than that, you've pretty much got it!"

"And you find this... fun?"

"The most fun out of anything! Now then, your strength is good, but we need to work on your conditioning. Let's run around the field again!"

"Yuuri... damn it," Wolfram cursed under his breath, jogging to keep up.

"Wimp!" Yuuri called out, causing the other boy to grit his teeth and increase the pace.

"Don't call me a wimp!" Wolfram growled as he passed Yuuri by.

* * *

Forty-five minutes later, Yuuri sat on the field and stretched while Wolfram lay prone on the grass beside him. 

"I'll never... forgive you... for this," the fairer boy panted. His hair was sticky with sweat and lay in a limp, tangled mess around his head. The sun was still high in the sky and beat down on them mercilessly, causing his cheeks to flush a bright pink. Yuuri noticed this detail and smiled.

"Looks like you got a bit of a sunburn," he remarked, leaning back onto his elbows. He picked idly at the grass.

Wolfram tilted his head up to glare at Yuuri. "I don't burn," he said haughtily. "The elements of fire obey me. I don't burn."

"Just don't blame me when your face peels off tomorrow."

The boy huffed. "This is a ridiculous game. I can't believe I let you talk me into this."

Yuuri laughed. "How _did_ I manage to talk you into this?"

Wolfram set his mouth in a thin line and crossed his arms over his chest. "I had to come along to make sure you didn't flirt with the other boys. Obviously."

The young king rolled his eyes. "Obviously." He took a deep breath, enjoying the warm air and the smell of cut grass. Conrad's baseball park wasn't perfect, but it was as close to home as he could get in Shin Makoku. If he closed his eyes and tilted his head back just so, he could almost pretend he was there. A soft sigh escaped his lips.

Wolfram's voice brought him back to reality. "Hey, Yuuri. Do you miss it very much?"

"Hmm? Miss what?"

"You know... Earth."

Yuuri turned his head. "Sometimes. How could you tell I was thinking about it?"

Wolfram gave him a rare smile. "I spend a lot of time looking at you."

"Ah," Yuuri said bashfully, averting his eyes. "Well... when I'm there, I miss Shin Makoku, and when I'm here, I miss Earth. It's always going to be one or the other." He plucked a blade of grass. "Since I have family in both places... they're both home to me."

Wolfram arched a single delicate eyebrow. "Family? Here?"

Yuuri turned and smiled down at Wolfram. "Yeah. You and Greta. My brothers-in-law," he teased.

Now it was Wolfram's turn to blush. "Ah... um, yeah... I suppose so." He looked up at Yuuri, his liquid eyes large and shining in the sunlight. "Home is where your family is?"

"I think... home is wherever you can be beside the people you love." Yuuri stood and brushed himself off, then held out his hand to help Wolfram up. "Come on, let's head back."

The two boys set off, hands in their pockets, across a long green field towards the castle. "I guess home must be everywhere for a cheater like you," Wolfram said, looking at Yuuri with a sidelong grin.

"You're such a dork, Wolfram," the boy responded.

"At least I'm not a wimp."

"After seeing your performance on the baseball field, I wouldn't be so sure!"

They continued on in this way, their voices and laughter drifting across the open field behind them. The sun sat heavily in the sky and beamed down at them as they made their way home.


	20. Independent Couple

**20. Independent Couple**

"I said no!"

Murata held out the package insistently. "Oh come on," he urged. "It's a gift from Mrs. Shibuya. She even asked me specially to bring it to you. She'll be so disappointed if you don't accept it!"

"I don't care! I am not wearing that... thing!" Wolfram crossed his arms and stuck his nose in the air stubbornly.

"Oh, hey Murata," Yuuri commented, entering the room. He had just come in from his morning run and was still breathing heavily. He mopped off his brow with a towel he had slung over his shoulder. "What are you doing at the castle?"

"Ah, Shibuya. Your mom sent me back with a gift for Wolfram."

Yuuri froze. "Don't take it, Wolf," he warned urgently.

"I assure you that I don't intend to!" Wolfram responded.

Murata sighed. "What does everyone have against Jennifer? I think she's a lovely lady, personally..." He reached inside the box he was holding and pulled out a frilly blue and yellow apron. "And this is really quite nice..."

"You wear it then!" Wolfram huffed, turning on his heels and making for the door.

"Wait!" Murata called after him, waving the other half of the present in the air. "She also sent this disposable camera!"

"Murata..." Yuuri moaned, shaking his head slowly. "Would you and my mom... please stop trying to make my boyfriend into a housewife?"

The sage grinned. "Come on. I've been one plenty of times. It's not as bad as it looks."

"I'm glad you're so comfortable with your feminine side," Yuuri responded dryly. "Why don't you use it to go bake some cookies or something."

"You know, _one_ of you will have to accept some womanly responsibilities in your relationship," Murata said matter-of-factly.

Yuuri just looked back at him with a deadpan expression. "Why? We have _you _for that." He turned and picked up his robe from the back of a chair. "I'm off to the bath. See you around, Murata."

Murata gaped, then followed him out of the room. "What's that supposed to mean? Hey, Shibuya! Get back here, Shibuya!"


End file.
